The Secrets of Lavender
by HanaIchi Ikari
Summary: One day, a lost little girl met a boy wearing a fox mask on his face, deep in the forest. She never questioned him about the things that made him uncomfortable, even if she wanted to know. Their strange friendship blooms as both the girl and boy grows up. But even so, there are things the boy must keep hidden from her. But what? Ikarishipping. AUOOC. Japanese names used.
1. A Friendship Blooms

_A/N: (J) Hey everyone, this is collaboration fanfic between Alice and me. This is actually a story Alice and I improved on ever since her "Murasaki Gitsune" doujinshi. It's practically the same story, but I'd say it's better and has more plot. Anyways, please enjoy the first chapter._

_(A) Also! Because of my obsession with flowers, there will be at least one flower symbolism in each chapter! Haaaaaahahaaaa… I promise you it's not as confusing, I swear. The flower that has the most important role in each chapter will have their meaning written at the end of the chapter! Everything will make sense in the end, I promise. Maybe!_

**The Secrets of Lavender  
><strong>**CH 1: A Friendship Blooms**

"Eeeeeek!" A high-pitched cry from the middle of a forest echoed throughout the area, alerting whatever creature roamed nearby of the sound. They fled from the vicinity, leaving the source of the cry alone.

A little girl of dark blue hair was leaning against a tree with her knees pressed to her chest. A messenger bag was lying on the ground Her attire consisted of a simple light blue dress with a design of little daisies flying up the skirt in a delicate line, white ankle socks and black shoes, and a small bracelet of diamonds. Alas, the beauty of her clothing was ruined by the dirt and dust that covered it.

Not to mention, she was lost.

The little girl was picking flowers and herbs from the nearby field. But she was so engrossed in picking out the prettiest flowers that she didn't realize that she was walking further and further into a forest. By noon, she became lost. Of course, she hoped to find her way back by going back the way she came from. But she ended up getting lost again. At that point, she was close to a breakdown. She's been walking for what felt like an hour, and it seemed like there was no end to the forest. The girl was exhausted physically and emotionally.

"H-how am I gonna go back home…?" She sniffled, her tears dangerously close to flowing down her cheeks. "Mama…!"

"Ugh, shut up." An irritated voice came from above the girl. She looked up and froze. It was a boy with lavender hair wearing somewhat tattered clothing, a dark green messenger bag, and… a fox mask. The mask was white with some red designs, and it covered his face from forehead to nose. She couldn't see his face at all. The boy was sitting on top of a tree branch of the tree the girl was leaning against. "How pathetic," he whispered under his breath. The boy let out a sigh and was about to return to where he came from.

"W-wait, p-please…"

The boy stopped and looked down at the girl. He didn't say anything but waited.

"I'm, I'm lost… Can you p-please help me find my way back…?" The girl looked up at the boy in desperate hope. "I wanna go back home!" She clutched her flowers to her chest. "Please!"

"… Hn." He hopped down from the branch. He stood in front of her for a minute, observing her.

"W-what…?"

With a sigh, he motioned her to follow him as he started on his way. The girl followed suit. Five minutes already passed, but the silence between was so unbearable for the girl. She thought she should try to introduce herself first to tear down the dense atmosphere between them.

"Um, I'm Aikawa Hikari. What's your name?"

The boy didn't reply. He kept his silence, discouraging her from trying to speak any more. But that didn't stop her.

"I'm eight years old, how about you?"

"10."

Hikari's eyes shone brightly from his reply. This gave her more encouragement to try to keep talking to him. After all, it seemed like it was going to be a long walk. "H-hey, so do you like flowers?"

"Yeah."

Despite the boy's one-worded answers, Hikari seemed to be determined to get him to talk.

"What kind of flowers do you like? Mine are daisies!" Hikari held a daisy from the bouquet of different flowers she had picked earlier from the field. "They mean stuff like innocence, purity, and loyal love. I like their meaning for loyal love though. I think it suits the flower." She looked up at the boy, hoping for a response. He was quiet once more. She pouted and kept walking behind him. She started playing with the flowers she had gathered, weaving them together. But doing so made her smile and giggle a little.

The boy peeked behind him, wondering what she was giggling at. Seeing what she was making, he couldn't help but smile a little. Just a bit.

"Lavender."

"Huh?"

"I like lavender."

"Lavender… I don't think it's easy to get those around here… I don't think I've actually seen one either," Hikari murmured. "How come your favorite is the lavender?"

"It just is." The boy reached into his bag and started rummaging through it. "Hm." Hikari tilted her head in curiosity, approaching him closer. "Found it." He took out a few stalks of lavender and showed it to her. "These are lavender." He slightly bent down to her level and lowered his hand to give her the stalks.

Hikari was surprised. "Lavender! Wow!" She reached over but before she grabbed them, she slightly hesitated and looked up at the boy. "Can I really have them?"

The boy nodded. "Mm."

With a huge smile, Hikari plucked them off of the boy's palm and examined them. "Wow, they're so pretty! Such tiny little flowers altogether too!" She looked at the boy in excitement. "Where did you find them? Are you a traveler?" She was almost jumping with joy. "Never in my entire life have I come across a lavender here!"

"…" He didn't feel like he needed to reply. Hikari was so excited to see a lavender for the first time that it didn't seem like she'd listen to his explanation anyways. He just grunted and continued to walk on with Hikari following once more. But this time, she was right beside her. He occasionally looked through his mask to see what Hikari was doing. She was still weaving the flowers she had gathered. There were only half left from what she had before. He decided not to question it.

What he didn't notice was that Hikari was taking occasional glances at him as she was weaving. She held up the lavender stalks he gave her and smiled at them.

_Hmmm… Mama won't mind. I went off on my own anyways_, she thought. The flowers she had picked were originally for her mother, who ran the most famous flower shop and café in town.

Her mother was a kind and gentle woman. She was known for her vast knowledge of flowers and herbs, including the meaning of them. It wouldn't seem like such a great job if you had asked others.

But that's not everything. The difference was that their town was the only area that grew so many species of plants. Other towns and cities had mostly the common types of flowers with a little more rare ones here and there. The café that her mother also ran was famous for its food and desserts made of the flowers and herbs she collects. Many people around the region came to their small town to visit her café and buy some flowers. There are occasional foreigners from different regions that have visited before, and it's gotten good feedback.

Hikari had a habit of going to the field and the forest to gather her own flowers and herbs just for fun. Even after school would she go there immediately. One would think she would be isolated and have none or few friends, but she got along very well with other classmates. In fact, she even went with her friends to the fields and play around while collecting flowers. They seemed to enjoy it anyways.

"It's done!" Hikari exclaimed. She skipped in front of the boy to stop him. "Hey, hey, can you close your eyes for a bit?"

"Why?" His voice sounded annoyed.

"Oh c'mon, please? I have something to give you!" Hikari stared at him with huge pleading eyes.

The boy remained silent for a few seconds before giving in. He groaned irritably before putting his hand out. "Make it quick. My eyes are closed."

Hikari grinned. "It's not really something I can place on your hand. It's something I gotta place on your head!" She approached the boy, but she realized that he was a head taller than her. This wasn't going to be easy. She stood on her tip-toes and placed her work on the boy's head. "There we go! Now you're a prince!"

"… A… flower crown…" the boy muttered.

"Do you like it? I even wove in some of the lavender you gave me! You look just like a prince from fairytales!"

"Are you kidding me?" The boy heaved a huge sigh before shaking his head. "We've wasted enough time. We're close to your town." He walked past Hikari, but he didn't take off the flower crown. Hikari was slightly discouraged from his words, but she was happy he didn't throw it onto the ground. He liked flowers too after all.

Soon, they arrived to the same field Hikari was in before she entered the forest.

"Ah, I'm back!" Hikari ran out from the shade of the trees to the cool breeze and warm sunlight. She dived into the soft field of grass and flowers, before poking her head out of them. The boy was still there. "Um… T-thank you for guiding me back home! I owe you a huge favor!" She gently placed the flowers she had picked into her messenger bag. "If you ever need anything, please feel free to come down to the Platina Café! We have both a flower shop and café there!"

"Hn." The boy turned around to return to the forest before Hikari called out to him.

"By the way, I was wondering… um…" She sheepishly looked away, scratching the back of her head. "D-do you want to… maybe… play with me and pick some flowers…?" She remembered how he had treated her the very first time. It didn't seem like he wanted anything to do with her. "I-I mean, if you want to."

"You're so troublesome…" The boy groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You really don't know the situation you're dealing with, do you?"

"W-well, geez, I'm sorry. You could've just said no…" Hikari replied bitterly. "Then I apologize for wasting your time." She trudged away with an inaudible "bye".

A defeated sigh was heard. "You do realize that I'm a stranger, right? Didn't your parents teach you not to approach them because they could be dangerous?"

Hikari turned around, clutching her bag to her abdomen. "But you're not. You helped me, didn't you?" She pointed to the flower crown on his head. "And… you didn't even throw away the flower crown I gave you. You're a nice person, I know it." She gave him a smile. "Besides..." She shot a chrysanthemum at his forehead. "I'm not pathetic as you thought I was. I'm pretty intelligent."

A smirk adorned the boy's face. "Tch, says the girl who was lost and crying for her mother." He caught the flower and observed it. He then exhaled softly. "Murasaki. You can call me Murasaki."

"Murasaki, huh? That's a nice name!" Hikari crouched down into a patch of flowers and started looking for the beautiful ones. "I'm glad you finally decided to tell me your name."

"Hn," he grunted. He approached a nearby flower patch and started rummaging through them. "Oh, why did you shriek earlier in the forest?"

"Huh? Oh… That…" Hikari turned red in embarrassment. "I just got scared because a bunch of crows flew towards me. But I guess it's because they got scared as much as I did."

Murasaki only gave a snort as a response.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Hikari asked. "Most of your replies to me were either sounds, actions, or one-worded answers."

Murasaki glanced at Hikari and shrugged, "I dunno, you tell me."

Hikari pouted. "You're mean."

"Good to know." Murasaki suddenly stopped from what he was doing and turned around. "By the way, you're probably really tired and hungry. Shouldn't you go back home and rest?" As if on cue, a grumble sounded from the girl. "… Wow." Seeing her red ears, he knew she was embarrassed. "Now _that_ is something I'm impressed with," he sarcastically remarked. Hikari looked at him like she was going to cry. "Calm down. I got something for you." He reached into his bag and pulled out half a loaf of bread and a juice box. Murasaki walked over to Hikari and sat down in front of her. "Mm." He held them out to her to take it.

"What about you? Won't you get hungry?" She hesitantly took them from his hands.

"I live nearby here, crybaby. Why else do you think I was in the forest?" He flicked her forehead as she took a bite of the bread. "I got plenty of food there."

"I'm not!" she retaliated. After eating the food she was given, she was now sipping the juice box. "Oh yeah, did you know that my house is actually really close to here? I just need to go down this field, and my house is like right there! What about you, where do you live?"

Murasaki didn't reply.

"Can't tell me?" she asked. She saw his lips purse in a manner that she couldn't comprehend. "Then, I won't ask! You don't have to tell me!" Murasaki looked up at her like she just lifted a heavy burden. "Hey, can I call you something other than Murasaki?"

Cocking a brow, he stared at her through his fox mask. "Like?"

"Mura-chan!"

"Absolutely not."

x.o.x.o.x

It was almost sunset, and it was time for Hikari to leave. The two had been picking different flowers and herbs the whole day, stopping to talk to each other occasionally. It was true that Murasaki had nothing much to say through words, but when he did, it usually had him calling Hikari a troublesome brat. Even though she retaliated, she felt like it was out of goodwill or some sort of affection.

"Can we play again tomorrow?"

"…" Murasaki lowered his head as if contemplating something. "I can't play with you everyday."

Hikari smiled a little sadly. "Oh yeah, you don't really live in town…"

"I can let you know when I can."

"How?"

Murasaki crossed his arms. "Hm, how about I leave a lavender stalk on a windowsill?"

"Yeah, that'd be great! There's actually a windowsill to the left of the café door. It's hard to miss!" Hikari was so overjoyed. She not only made a new friend, but they'll be able to meet more often. "Can we meet here, same time?" A nod was all it took for Hikari grin wider. "Great! I can let you meet my best friends! They're really good people!" She was about to greet him good-bye but her wrist was suddenly grabbed by Murasaki. "Eh, what's wrong?"

"Wait, Hikari. You can't ever tell anyone about who I am. Not even your closest friends. Not even your mother. You have to keep this a secret." She couldn't read his face because of his fox mask, but the way he was pursing his lips like before gave her a hint. "Okay?"

Hikari stared at the slits of his mask, wondering if she was able to make eye contact with him. She gave him a sincere look and nodded. "Alright. I won't tell anyone. I won't ask why either. This is our little secret!" She put her index finger to her lips and smiled.

"Go home."

"Bye!"

With that, the two parted ways. Hikari ran down the field to go back home with Murasaki watching over her to make sure she made it home safe. Once he was sure she was safe, he turned and headed in the opposite direction. He walked past the fields towards the horizon. He kept walking along the edge of the forest until he reached his house. There, he saw a large oak tree with a small cottage behind it. Alongside this was a lake. Murasaki walked towards the tree and placed his hand on it. He looked up at it, sighing heavily.

He entered through the sliding door and took his shoes off. His house was rather humble with only a living room and a bedroom. His kitchen was placed in the living room. There was a stove, a sink, a refrigerator, some cabinets, and a small round table. Murasaki stepped inside his bedroom, his head lowered. He took off his mask and set it down on the floor. Without a word, he changed into his pajamas and crawled into his futon*. He shut off the oil lamp next to his and pull the covers over his face.

"I'm home."

But no one else was.

~.~.~

"You seem very happy today, dear." A woman with the same color hair as Hikari sat down with her, handing her a plate of pudding. It was her mother, who had some dessert made for her daughter as a break from her homework. "I made it out of the lavender stalks you found today." She placed a spoon on the plate for Hikari to eat whenever she'd like. "Just where did you find them? I didn't know they even grew in the fields up there."

Hikari smiled as she took a bite of the pudding. It was so creamy and sweet, and she was able to smell the aroma of the lavender as she chewed the blossoms. She giggled. "It's a secret, mama! If you'd like more, I'll try to bring as much as I can. It won't be easy though."

Her mother chuckled. "That's okay, dear. You don't have to go through all the trouble." She tousled her daughter's soft, dark blue hair and smiled. "So did you play with your friends today?"

"No, they were too busy so they couldn't come. But I did make a new friend!"

"A new friend? Who are they?"

Hikari thought for a moment. How could she tell her mother about her new friend when she promised not to tell her about him? She puffed her cheeks. "Can't tell! It's a secret!"

"You made a secret friend, I see? Will I ever get to meet them?"

"Probably! Some day! I want to make sure he's ready!"

"Oh my, and he's a boy? Now that's sweet!" her mother cooed. "I'm glad you made a new friend, Hikari. Feel free to invite him over whenever he likes. Will you be playing with him tomorrow too?"

Hikari shook her head. "No, he said that he's a little busy. But he said that he'll let me know when he can!" She hoped that just this much was okay to tell her mother. After all, these details were rather ambiguous and general. It could've been anyone. It's not like she gave away his identity.

After she was finished with her homework, she ate the rest of her dessert. "Did you have a recipe to make this, mama?"

Her mother smiled. "Yes, I did. Your papa used to love lavenders. He's made me this lavender pudding recipe as a gift. I suppose you can say it's a memento of him." She noticed that Hikari had slightly lowered her spoon at the mention of her father. "Your papa was a good man, Hikari. He did it to protect us." She gently pulled Hikari into a comforting hug. "Remember that he'll always stay with us, no matter what."

"Yeah. I know he's watching over us from heaven." Hikari put the plate down. "Thanks for the pudding, mama. I think I'll go to sleep."

"Alright, sweet dreams, dear."

"Good night, mama!" After washing up, Hikari entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She flopped onto her bed and wrapped the blankets around herself. She thought of her encounter with Murasaki that day, and she couldn't help but smile. "I hope we can meet again soon, Mura-chan!" Murasaki's words, "Absolutely not" suddenly played in her head, causing her to giggle into her pillow. He was a little mean but she thought he somehow warmed up to her. She couldn't wait for their next meeting.

~.~.~

_A chrysanthemum means "you're a wonderful friend" or "cheerfulness and rest"_

~.~.~

_*futon – a futon is a traditional Japanese bed that only has a mattress and quilts/blankets_

_A/N: (A) This isn't going to be as long as Mystique or Tobari Shinobi, since this story is actually meant to be used as a sort of guideline for my Ikari doujinshi. I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned it, but I had made a Ikari doujinshi called "Murasaki Gitsune", but I thought the story (and the art) was horrible. So James decided to help me out with it, and this collaboration was our result! I was actually excited to write this one together with him! I can't wait to write more!_

_(J) The chapters will go on as both Hikari and Shinji grow up. Once they're at the appropriate age that Alice and I've chosen, we'll continue with the main plot. Until then, you can read this for all the fluff and friendships that will go on between the two will experience. Also, each chapter won't be as long as our other fanfics. They will probably be about 1,000 words to 3,000 words at most. I hope you guys don't mind, because Alice will be drawing these by the chapter. I hope you can also read her doujinshi when it's out!_

_(A) And with that, we'll be going! I'll see you next time with another chapter of Mystique! Bye!_


	2. Hydrangea

_A/N: I would like to remind you that most of the chapters from here on are like mini one-shots of their growing up. Until much later._

**The Secrets of Lavender  
><strong>**CH 2: Hydrangea**

_10. 12_

It was spring, the time of blooming flowers and April showers. The field was covered in so many different species of flowers that it was almost like a rainbow. Murasaki was out in the fields picking flowers again as usual in the afternoon. He wore the same fox mask with the same messenger bag. His attire was lighter than the first time he met Hikari. He wore a long-sleeved, dark turquoise shirt and grey khakis, both of which he rolled up in case they get dirty. Deciding to take a break, he found a shady tree to sit under to relax and enjoy the spring breeze.

"…" He was silent, his senses giving in to the tranquility of the world in front of him. It felt like nothing could disturb it. But he knew his moment of calm would never last long enough.

"Mura-chan!" A girl was running towards him, calling out his name. In fact, she was running a little too fast.

Murasaki groaned and looked up to see Hikari leap at him. It was much too late for him to react, for she crashed into him to pull him into an embrace. He let out a painful gasp of air. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" He rubbed the back of his head to soothe the stinging pain. "What would've happened if I didn't catch you?!"

"Ah, but you did, Mura-chan," Hikari chimed.

"Don't call me Mura-chan." Murasaki sat up as Hikari readjusted herself to sit next to him. "You know I hate it when you call me that. It sounds gross."

Hikari giggled. "Nah, I like it that way. You can't stop me either, Mura-chan!"

Murasaki sighed. "Thought so." He looked at her and slightly tilted his head. "Your hair got longer again."

"Oh! Yeah, I was thinking of cutting it but I wanted to try growing it out too." Hikari's hand moved up to touch the blue locks that finally grew a little past her shoulders. She wore a knee-length light yellow dress with frills decorating the hem of the skirt. The sleeves of the dress had tiny pink roses embroidered into them, connected by green vines. She fiddled with her hair for a few minutes before speaking up again. "Does… it look bad…?"

"Hm…" Murasaki's lips pursed as if in thought. "Looks better than the hair you had when we first met."

"Well, _excuse me_," Hikari scoffed, "I was 8 at the time, and my hair happened to be a mess from all that walking." She angrily pouted and turned her face away. "Hmph!"

Hikari was 10 years old, and Murasaki being 12.

The two have met each other constantly whenever Murasaki could throughout those two years. Not to mention, their meetings were always a secret from others. Murasaki had always left a stalk of lavender on the windowsill of her mother's café, letting Hikari know that he was able to spend some time with her. Although their days were spent picking flowers and herbs, Hikari enjoyed it anyway. She loved to talk with him about her day, her school, her classmates, and whatever happened in her life that she felt like telling him.

He always listened to her stories and never once interrupted her. He usually smirked or patted her head in response. Murasaki had never once told Hikari anything about his life, and Hikari asked about it once. He shook his head uncomfortably and told her, "Maybe another time." Despite knowing how strong her curiosity was, he appreciated her not asking about it again after that.

"You know, I'm still surprised mama figured out why there were lavender stalks appearing out of nowhere," Hikari giggled. "Whenever she saw one, she'd tell me that you came by. Thanks to that, she now has hundreds of them!"

During those two years when Murasaki placed a stalk of lavender by the windowsill, Hikari's mother figured out that it was her secret friend who dropped by. She never asked about any details about him since she saw how excited Hikari was to meet him. She knew he was a good kid from the way Hikari talked about him too. She thought Hikari would tell her one day when she's ready.

"Is that so?" Murasaki asked. He lowered his head, whispering inaudibly, "She… might not let you visit me anymore if she ever finds out who I am."

"Hm? What did you say?"

"Nothing." He stood back up to pick more flowers and herbs again. "Do you think you can help me pick some herbs later? I need those to make something tonight."

Hikari's mood brightened up. It was rare for Murasaki to ask her for help. "Yeah, yeah, of course! I'll gladly help out!" She started picking some daisies nearby. "So what kind of herbs are we picking for today?"

"Peppermint." Murasaki paused and looked at the sky. It was still afternoon, and the sun wasn't going to go down until later. "I've planted some mints nearby, so we'll be going a little past here to pick them. Do you have a curfew?"

"Not really," Hikari replied while weaving daisies together. "As long as I get home before dark, it should be fine."

"Alright, that should be fine. I'll make sure you get home before then."

"Oh! Speaking of which!" Hikari exclaimed as she opened her bag. "Mama packed some snacks for us!" She reached into her bag and took out a wrapped handkerchief and tea. "She made us violet flower cupcakes!" She untied the handkerchief to reveal four cupcakes topped with buttercream and a candied violet flower on top. "It's actually one of mama's famous pastries. Try one, you must be a little hungry." She walked over to him and handed him two cupcakes. "Mama makes the best pastries. There's a reason why her café is famous after all."

Murasaki observed it for a moment before looking up at Hikari. "You didn't poison this, right?" he teased, smirking as he bit into the cupcake.

"HEY!"

He chuckled at Hikari's outburst. "It's delicious. Thank your mom for me." They sat there in the field, eating their snack as the aroma of the other flowers filled their senses. He took another bite of the cupcake and licked off any buttercream that remained on his lips. "I don't really like sweets, but this seems just right. The violet jam inside tastes great too."

"Right? Right?" Hikari chirped. "This is popular with a lot of adults because it's not as sweet as it looks. I like it when it's sweeter though." She licked the buttercream from the tip of her finger. "I asked her if she can make it less sweet because you almost choked on how sweet it was the last time I gave you pastries." She giggled at the memory. "That was a funny day. You kept telling me your tongue was numb."

"Hn." Murasaki snorted and ate the last bite of his cupcake. "I'll save the other one for tonight. Do you have a napkin?"

Hikari handed him the handkerchief instead. "You can use this. Just give it back later!" She smiled and finished the rest of her cupcakes while Murasaki wrapped his and packed it in his bag. After downing their tea, they got ready to pick some peppermint leaves. "So it's a little past here?"

"Yeah. They're in the forest." Murasaki guided her past the trees to where the mint was growing. "They grow in well-drained soil, but they spread rather fast, so you have to keep an eye on them constantly. Not only that, but you have to be careful of where you plant them. The other plants and trees might absorb the peppermint."

"Wow, you really know your stuff about herbs."

"I guess."

In a few minutes, a large patch of peppermint leaves were before them. The refreshing scent of mint wafted from the area. Hikari was amazed by the amount. She could tell that they were carefully attended to.

"Alright," Murasaki started, "there are three types of mint here: peppermint, spearmint, and chocolate mint." He took out three little stems with slightly different leaves. "For spearmint, it'll be easy to tell it's not peppermint, because it has a somewhat sweeter aroma. As for the chocolate mint—don't think it smells like chocolate because that is ridiculous—it has brown stems. You can use it for desserts though, because they tend to have a somewhat mint chocolate taste to them. As for peppermint, look for the sharper leaves. Your finger will eventually smell just like mint, so you won't be able to tell which ones are the right ones."

Hikari had picked up the peppermint stem. It had sharper leaves compared to spearmint, which was a little longer and rounder. The chocolate mint was easy to tell. "So I just need to get the peppermint, right?"

Murasaki nodded. "Make sure you get the ones without any holes in them. I've made sure to keep pests away, but you can never know. Make sure they look just like this." He pointed to the peppermint in Hikari's hand. "Let's go." With that, they started picking peppermint leaves for the rest of the day.

x.o.x.o.x

It was almost sunset by the time they had enough peppermint leaves for whatever Murasaki needed them for. They were both covered in the aroma of mint, which was off-putting because of how dirty their clothes and hands were. They were walking out of the forest, talking about the different uses of mints. At one point, Hikari looked at Murasaki and smiled as if she accomplished something big today.

"What are you grinning about?"

"I just thought that it was nice that you asked me for help. I kinda felt like I was helpful." Hikari scratched her cheek, a little embarrassed about her words. "Will you be here tomorrow too?"

Murasaki rubbed her head. "Maybe. I'll let you know."

Hikari puffed her cheeks. "You always say that, but our playdates never last for more than 3 days… Then you disappear for days before letting me play with you again." She saw him give her what she thought was a sympathetic smile. "I know, I know. You're busy. I just like spending time with you too, you know?"

"I appreciate your feelings, but you can't hang out with me all the time. You have your own friends and mother to spend time with too." Murasaki brought his bag forward and dug into it. "It's my first time making one, but I think this was how you made it." He pulled out a flower crown of daisies and hydrangeas weaved together. It wasn't the best because there were some flowers that fell out before he took it out. But the structure was firm. He placed it on Hikari's head. The two were practically the same height, so it was easy to put it on.

"Aw, thanks, Mura-chan. I love it!" Hikari cupped her cheeks and squealed at how beautiful it was.

"Hm." Murasaki closed his bag. "You should start heading home. It's getting dark."

"Boooo, I don't wanna!" Hikari complained. "I wanna hang out with you more, Mura-chan."

"Don't call me Mura-chan. You know I hate it when you call me that…" Murasaki muttered. He sighed and flicked Hikari's forehead. "Come on, you gotta get home or your mom will worry. I'm going to get worried too if you don't get home in time."

Hikari pouted, twisting her blue locks around her finger. "Okay…" She looked up at Murasaki. "I had fun today. Thanks for letting me help, Mura-chan." Murasaki nodded, and Hikari went on her way back home. When she skipped downhill the field, she caught sight of her mother waiting for her at the bottom. "Mama?" She then started running to catch up. Once she did, she saw a deeply concerned expression on her mother's face. "Mama, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

Her mother pursed her lips for a moment before grabbing hold of Hikari's wrist. "Hikari, come with me. Now." She glanced at the hill before turning away and dragging Hikari back home.

"W-wait, mama, what happened?!" Hikari soon caught up with her mother's footsteps and walked with her. "Mama, is there something you can't tell me?" Her mother didn't reply. "M-mama?"

"Not now, Hikari. We'll talk at home." Her mother's tone was light and gentle, but Hikari noticed a hint of fright within.

_I wonder what happened…?_ Hikari thought. She looked back as she walked away from the field, catching a glimpse of a silhouette at the top. It was Murasaki. The shadows covered all features of him, but there was something off with his silhouette. _He looks.. lonely… and sad… _

When Hikari stepped inside, her mother poured a cup of chamomile tea for both of them and sat down in a table.

"Hikari, is your secret friend that boy I just saw you with?"

An expression of shock and concern flickered across Hikari's face before she reverted back to her usual bright self. "W-what do you mean, mama? He was a friend from school." She sipped her chamomile tea. She was trying hard to hide her quivering lips. Hikari had promised Murasaki that she'll keep their meeting a secret.

But her mother wasn't going to let this slide this time.

"Mama, he's just a friend."

"You don't understand, sweetie," her mother argued. Her gentle tone was slowly starting to grow harsh. "That boy… That boy in the fox mask…" She gripped the hem of her shirt tightly. "He is the outsider of Twinleaf Town."

"A-an outsider?" Hikari stammered. "Mama, what are you talking about? He's… he's no outsider…"

"Yes he is, Hikari." Her mother slightly raised her voice. "I'm just trying to protect you."

Hikari's breath began to shorten, and her voice was low. "Murasaki… He's…" she whispered, "… an outsider…?" Her eyes grew wide. "N-no, that can't be! He has never done anything to hurt me! He's, he's only 12, mama! We've been playing together for 2 years already, but he's never done anything to me! All we ever did was pick flowers together and talk!" She cupped the side of her face in disbelief and trembled. "He's my friend…!"

Her mother gritted her teeth. "I'm just trying to warn you!"

There was nothing but silence. Hikari was frightened. She had never heard her mother raise her voice like this before. Her mother had never raised her voice even when Hikari got in trouble. This was the first time she had ever seen her mother so angry.

When her mother realized her mistake, she brought her hand to her lips. "H-Hikari, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" She tried to reach out to Hikari to reassure her, but Hikari had flinched. Her heart broke at the sight of her daughter. Tears were flowing down Hikari's cheeks, and her blue eyes were wet with fright. She pulled back and sat back down with her head lowered.

Hikari found strength in her legs for a moment to run into her room upstairs and slammed the door. She threw herself onto her bed and started sobbing into her pillow.

Outsiders. They were people who were chased out of or shunned from their respective towns by the citizens. There weren't many outsiders in the region, Sinnoh—perhaps about five or six altogether. Sinnoh was generally a place with little crime or negativity to how things worked. But there were still those who were chased out for specific reasons. Sinnoh was a very forgiving place, albeit punishments can be too strict sometimes. There were police forces and jails for the horrible crimes, but outsiders were decided within the premises of towns. Their reasons were… different.

It was clear that Murasaki was not welcome.

_But why is he an outsider?_ Hikari thought. She sniffed, wiping her eyes of her tears. _He's never hurt me since the day we met. Why would he be an outsider…?_

Meanwhile, Hikari's mother had been walking outside. She was heading towards the fields, where she last saw the outsider boy. "She called him Murasaki…" she had murmured to herself. "M-Murasaki-kun? Murasaki-kun!" She began to call out his name. She continued to walk on, calling out his name in the process until he came out. She stopped in her tracks when she saw him lying in the middle of a grassy field just beyond the flower fields. Hikari's mother took a deep breath and approached him. "Murasaki-kun…?"

"…" Murasaki sat up wordlessly, humbling himself before Hikari's mother. "May I ask what you're doing here, ma'am?"

Hikari's mother crouched down to Murasaki's level. "Why are you still an outsider, Murasaki-kun? Your family… They…"

"Because the last time I went to town, everyone was still uncomfortable around me." Murasaki refused to make eye contact. "I am treated like a criminal who broke out of prison, ma'am. They think I'm the same as my family. That's why I can't go to Twinleaf Town." He gritted his teeth to hold back the seething anger when he remembered those cold eyes.

"Hikari… She…" Hikari's mother smiled. "She called you her friend."

Murasaki seemed to have winced at her name.

"I'm so sorry." She tousled Murasaki's head ever so gently like a mother would. She wrapped her shawl around Murasaki. "You cherish Hikari too, don't you?"

He didn't reply. He simply remained silent. A moment of silence passed between them before Murasaki spoke up again. "She was the first person to spend time with me without looking at me like everyone else do. Even if she didn't know who I really was, she treated me differently." He sighed. "She probably won't come back now."

"No, she might. If you can, will you leave another lavender stalk on the windowsill tomorrow? I'll pass her the message."

Murasaki nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Hikari's mother looked up at the dusk sky. "It must be lonely for you. I wish I could do something to repay your father for what he's done for my husband."

"It's okay, ma'am." Murasaki finally looked up as he shook his head. "You need to follow the laws of the town. Please don't worry about me, I'll be fine." He made eye contact with Hikari's mother, his eyes filled with sincerity. "Aikawa-san, I promise I will keep her safe from harm."

"I will hold you to that, dear." She stood up and dusted herself off. "You can keep the shawl, Murasaki-kun. It can get rather chilly in the night."

Murasaki bowed his head. "Thank you very much. Have a good night."

Hikari's mother walked back down the fields to go home, leaving Murasaki alone with the stars and grass.

Murasaki had taken out a stalk of lavender from his messenger bag before lying back down into the grass. He held the stalk up, twisting it in his fingers. A single tear slipped past his mask. "Tch…" He took his mask off to cover his eyes with his arms, as if trying to hide his emotions from the stars above.

~.~.~

Hikari woke up from the sunlight seeping through her pink curtains. She shut her eyes from the blinding light and rolled over to her side. Her eyes were slightly puffy from crying so much the other night that it burned a little to open them. She moaned, pulling her blanket over her face. "I think I cried too much…"

A knock came from her door. "Hikari?" It was her mother. "Listen… I'm sorry I raised my voice last night." She still sounded heartbroken over that. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I just wanted to warn you that he was an outsider." Hikari still didn't respond to her mother. "Murasaki-kun left a lavender stalk for you today." That got a reaction from Hikari. "I don't mind that you play with him, Hikari. I understand. But, please, be careful of others, okay?" The sound of her mother's footsteps gradually faded away as she went downstairs to manage her shop and café.

After a few minutes, Hikari cracked her door open and looked around. Her mother wasn't around. She then looked down. There was a lavender stalk by her door with a note. She bent down to pick it up and opened it.

_I'm sorry._

_Come to play, if you want._

_-Murasaki_

A smile made its way through her lips as she twisted the stalk in her fingers. "Mura-chan…" She closed the door shut.

Her mother was finishing up the fresh batch of pastries until she heard the fast pattering of feet going down the stairs. "Hikari?"

"Morning, mama." Hikari put on an apron and tied her hair up high. "I'll be down by the flower shop. Let me know when you need anything." She ran past the counter and proceeded to enter the flower shop to set up.

"Hikari," her mother called out. Hikari froze and slowly looked up. "I'm sorry. Murasaki-kun is a good person, isn't he?"

A glint of hope shined in her blue eyes. She smiled brightly and answered, "Yup!" before going into the flower shop. A tall, blond man came through the café door just as Hikari went into the flower shop. "Ah, good morning, Kurotsugu-san (Palmer)!" Hikari called out as she poked her head through the door.

"Good morning, Hikari-chan," he greeted her before approaching the counter. "Good morning to you too, Ayako-san (Johanna)." He smiled at Hikari's mother before sitting on the counter.

"The usual, Kurotsugu-san?"

"Yes please!" he energetically answered. "Ah, Ayako-san, my son wanted to go play with your daughter. Is she free later today?"

Ayako froze. She sighed and turned around with a smile. "I'm sorry, Kurotsugu-san. But she's going to be in the fields again today. I've asked her to run some errands for the flower shop." She placed a plate of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, and coffee in front of Kurotsugu. "Perhaps another time will be alright with him?"

Kurotsugu chuckled. "Of course! They're childhood friends after all! He'll understand." He sipped his coffee and began chowing down his food. "Hm?" He looked at the vase next to him and touched the hydrangea placed inside. "Did you think of changing your flowers for this vase?"

"Oh, this?" Ayako carefully touched the tip of the hydrangea. "This was a gift from someone who really loves lavenders."

"A secret admirer?"

"Goodness, no!" she giggled. "The lavenders are for Hikari. He just happened to leave a hydrangea just for me."

"I see…" Kurotsugu sipped his coffee again. "Well, your daughter is very beautiful. Who knows? My son might even fall for her in the future." He let out a hearty laugh before taking a bite of his pancakes.

"Not unless she falls for someone else, you know," Ayako giggled. Her laughter slowly faded away. "I met with the outsider boy last night." She saw Kurotsugu freeze. "He's… quite scared of everyone here in the town." She touched the hydrangea, remembering their conversation. "The poor boy… Even though he didn't do anything wrong…"

Kurotsugu let out a sigh, placing his silverware down. "I suppose that would be my fault. I should've known when he suddenly appeared alone in town." His hand clenched into a fist. "After all, I…" A look of guilt was on his face. "I was the one who made him and his family outsiders. All he does now is hide or run whenever he sees me." He placed his palm on his face and looked at the hydrangea. "I wish I could do something for the boy. I don't even know his name either."

Ayako understood Kurotsugu's feelings. "Let the time pass by, Kurotsugu-san. I think everything will be alright soon."

"Ha, I hope so!" Kurotsugu started eating again while Ayako sorted out the pastries throughout the café.

x.o.x.o.x

Hikari walked up the flower fields again, holding the lavender stalk in her hand. She didn't expect herself to really go see him again. It's not like the fact that Murasaki was an outsider that made her cautious. She just didn't have the courage to see him because he knew that she knew his identity. She felt like he would treat her differently, like the rest of the townspeople. But she did. She saw him at the same spot as yesterday. He was picking flowers as usual and occasionally checking the inside of his bag for the amount he collected.

Murasaki had his back turned to her when she walked closer.

"Mura-chan?"

He stopped what he was doing and tensed up.

"I don't care if you're an outsider. You're my friend." Her tears were starting to spill again. "I don't care what they say about you, Mura-chan. You'll always be my friend, and I'll always be yours." She sniffed, trying to wipe her tears away. "Oh god, this is so embarrassing. I'm sorry, I didn't want you to see me like this."

Murasaki stood up and carefully approached her. He awkwardly embraced her, patting her back. "It's okay. I'm sorry for hiding who I am." He pulled away and tousled her hair. "Want to help me pick some hydrangeas today?"

Hikari stopped crying and smile. "Mhm!"

"Let's go. The hydrangeas are around that area." Murasaki gently grabbed Hikari's hand and led her through the field to the hydrangeas. "Remember, this is..."

"Our little secret, right?"

Murasaki smirked. "Right."

~.~.~

_Hydrangea means "thank you for understanding"._

x.o.x.o.x

_A/N: There may be some chapters that will continue from where it left off because I need to make sure the chapter is long enough for Alice to fit it within a certain amount of pages. Murasaki's past will be revealed in a few chapters. But until then, please bear with this for now. Thank you for reading!_


	3. A White Carnation

_A/N: In all my years of writing fanfiction, I don't think I've ever had this much inspiration to write before. Needless to say, I love this feeling very much._

**The Secrets of Lavender  
><strong>**CH 3: A White Carnation**

_12. 14._

"Hey, Mura-chan, why don't you come down to the café once in a while?" Hikari asked. Murasaki and she were relaxing under the shade of the forest, escaping from the burning heat of summer. The shrill cries of cicadas echoed through the forest and out to the world. They were both wearing short sleeves and knee-length shorts, fanning themselves with paper fans to cool off. "Mama has air conditioning on, and she's prepared a lot of cool drinks."

"As nice as it sounds, I don't think it's a good idea for me to go down there just yet." He stopped there and kept fanning himself.

Hikari blinked at Murasaki in curiosity, but she brushed it off. She knew if Murasaki didn't continue his sentences, he didn't want to talk to about it. She respected that. It would've been impolite to pry into his business, especially if it's something he didn't want to talk about. At times, her curiosity kept nagging at her to ask but she knew better.

"Well, I can always bring you some from the café," she reassured. "Mama always asks me if she should pack an extra set of snacks. It's kinda like our code that I'm going to play with you." She giggled. "I think she's warming up to you, Mura-chan."

"Hmm…" he hummed through his nose in acknowledgement. "Good to know."

"Not gonna pick any flowers or herbs today?" Hikari had a pile of white carnations by her hand, flowers that she had picked early in the morning before it got too hot. She began to twist a carnation between her fingers as a habit she had picked up from the boy.

Murasaki snorted in laughter. "In this heat? I don't think so." He lay down on the cool grass, using his arms as a pillow behind his head. "Besides, it's my day off."

Hikari couldn't help but giggle. "From what I've seen from you so far, I would think you would never give yourself a day off."

"Today's an exception," he flatly replied.

Silence ensued between them. Hikari also decided to lie down next to him. She let out a long sigh, letting the cool shade soak into her skin. "This feels nice." She looked to the side, wondering what Murasaki was doing. He was as still as a statue. The light summer wind gently blew some hair strands astray. Murasaki still had the same fox mask from when they first met. He never once took it off, in front of her at least. The tiny little slits in the mask for his eyes were too small for her to even see his eyes. She sometimes wondered if he had blue eyes like her… or green eyes… or brown eyes… There were lots of possibilities. _I wonder what kind of expressions you make behind that mask…_

"Why are you staring at me?" he drawled. "Is there something on my face?"

"Nope," she answered while giggling. She turned her head back to the sky and watched the clouds float by. "I just thought that your mask is pretty cool."

"Hn, what kind of reason is that?" Murasaki chuckled. He then looked back at Hikari, who had her eyes closed. Her hair had grown much longer now. It was way past her shoulders and almost reached the top of her waist. He turned his face back to the sky.

Hikari opened her eyes back again. "I wish today would go by a little slower."

"How come?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Today just feels really calming. It's a nice change from what I have to deal with every summer vacation." She rolled her eyes. "Jun and Kengo are so hyperactive, and they just can't sit still whenever they're together. I can probably handle one of them, but both? Nope."

"Jun and Kengo? Who are they?"

"Oh, just two of my childhood friends. Jun's a year older than me, but Kengo's the same age as me." She let out a disgruntled groan. "They're a pain in the a—I mean, butt—to deal with." Oops. She almost let her tongue slip.

Murasaki suddenly pushed himself up with his elbows. "Did you just try to curse?" he asked amusingly.

"Noooo…" she hummed. "It was your imagination."

"Pfft, right." Murasaki smirked and lay back down.

"What? It's not my fault. Jun and Kengo have been cursing so much lately. Apparently it shows their 'manliness', as they say." Hikari rolled her eyes again with a sigh. "They're just a bunch of morons." She fanned herself again when the heat got to her. "Why is it so hot today?" she whined.

Murasaki fanned himself too. "I agree, it's so humid and hot." He sat up to have a drink of ice cold water that Hikari had brought for them. "Not a good combination." His shoulders slumped a little, his figure looking almost defeated. The heat was almost too much to bear for him.

Hikari rolled across the grass to find a cooler shade as the spot she was in was starting to feel warm. "Even the ground isn't cool enough," she mumbled into the grass. "Mura-chan, are you sure you don't—"

"HIKARI!" A voice called out from down the flower field.

Both of them froze. Someone was running up the fields. It definitely wasn't her mother because it was a boy's voice. The two were in a panic.

"M-Mura-chan, you gotta hide! Hurry!" Hikari whispered. She flailed as Murasaki was trying to find somewhere to hide. "It's Jun (Barry)! It's gonna be bad if he finds out! He can have such a big mouth!"

"Shit," Murasaki cursed. He looked around for a good hiding spot. The bushes were too low to hide him, and he'd have to go deeper into the forest if he wanted to hide inconspicuously. That clearly wasn't going to happen for him. It would've give him enough time. "Uh… Got it." He jumped up to grab a tree branch and swiftly swung himself on top of it. He climbed up a few more branches to hide among the dense leaves.

Hikari quickly adjusted herself to look like she was alone. She saw a blond-haired boy running up to her, an excited look on his face. "J-Jun! What's up?"

Jun grinned widely with his hands behind his back. "Guess what I made?"

"What is it?" she asked. She quickly glanced up at the tree, trying to find Murasaki. It seems he was quietly watching them. _Ooh… Please leave soon, Jun…_ Hikari forced a smile and pretended to take interest in Jun's surprise. "Is it another one of your _totally amazing_ work?"

The blond cocked a brow. "Well, that's rude. I'll have you know that the stuff I make _are_ amazing. Anyways, take a look!" He sat down in front of her and brought forward a tiny vase. It was a simple-looking one. It was colored emerald green with a small sculpture of a frog on a stalk of bamboo attached to the bottom. "I know what you're thinking. This doesn't look like much. But smell it." He held it out to her, his eyes expecting a reaction from her. "Trust me, you'll love it."

Jun was the son of Kurotsugu, who was the mayor of Twinleaf town. Despite being so high in power, his family's profession was ceramics. Their family and employees made and baked vases and other kinds of ceramics for the people in town and for trade. They created beautiful vases for both displays and practical use. Jun started learning pottery from his father from a young age. He was skilled for a 12-year-old, but he usually spent his time using those skills to make his own vases. They weren't exactly the best as he was always experimenting with different methods and ingredients, but there were a few that turned out great that he felt pride in.

Hikari blinked in confusion and gently took the vase. She sniffed it, wondering what the big deal was. "Ah." The vase smelled fresh like the morning dew in a forest of bamboo. "How did you even do this, Jun? It smells just like bamboo!"

"It's a secret!" Jun crossed his arms and held his head high in pride. "Let's just say a lot of bamboo was used in the process!" He pointed at the vase. "You can keep it if you want. It's not really a vase you can use for a lot of the flowers you collect, but it's something!"

"O-oh, thanks, Jun! I appreciate it!" Hikari smiled sincerely at his gift. She waited for Jun to say anything else. A few seconds passed before Hikari got too nervous. "S-so… i-is this all you wanted to give me?"

"Pretty much. I also wanted to play with you for a bit." Jun tipped himself back and forth from knee to knee. "I got a little busy with my stuff that I didn't play with you for a while, so I felt a little bad." He noticed two water bottles by Hikari's hand. "Hey, were you with someone?"

Murasaki facepalmed. He completely forgot to hide the water bottle. "This is getting bad," he hissed.

Hikari shook her head, holding Murasaki's water bottle in her hand. "Nope! This is mine! Yup, totally mine!" She laughed nervously, shaking the water bottle a little.

"Then… why do you have two?" Jun sounded really confused. "It looks like both of them are half empty."

"Oh, you know me…" Hikari desperately tried to think of an excuse. "I thought I lost my water bottle so I grabbed another one. It turned out that I accidentally left it at another tree that I was resting on." She then held two water bottles in her hands. "So, yeah… That's why… hehe… he…" _Please buy the excuse, please buy the excuse, please buy the excuse,_ she chanted in her head.

Jun burst into laughter. "Oh man, Hikari, how do you mess like that!" He cracked up until he couldn't breathe.

Hikari's eyes darted back and forth while Jun was catching his breath. She looked up at Murasaki, who was staring right back at her. _I'm so sorry!_ She gave him an apologetic look. "H-hey, Jun? Um, you know… I was thinking of maybe spending today alone." She scratched the back of her head in a sheepish manner. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted to play with me, but…"

While Jun and Hikari were working things out, Murasaki grew bored on top of the branch. In fact, he even sprawled out on the branch and watched the clouds pass by. Fortunately, this was something that kept him preoccupied while the other two were talking. He couldn't get impatient from this. What he didn't know was that there was a bird's nest just a few feet away from his head. What was worse was that the mother bird was hanging on the edge of her nest, looking quite threatening towards Murasaki.

The bird chirped at him angrily as if telling him to get away from her nest. Murasaki jerked forward, knowing the tone of the chirps. But that was a mistake. The mother bird took that as a threat and took action. She started attacking Murasaki with her talons, pecking him occasionally on his head.

"Ow! Ow! Quit it!" he hissed. He attempted to swat the bird away, but he missed each time. Some leaves snapped off from his swatting and started falling onto Jun's head.

He looked up. "Some bird must be going crazy up there."

Hikari panicked because Murasaki was up there. She couldn't let Jun find out. "U-uh, hey Jun! Think fast!" She suddenly tackled Jun, causing both of them to roll out of the shady tree and into the flower patch.

"What the actual fuck are you doing?!" Jun shouted. "That was so uncalled for!"

"Hehe, sorry! I just suddenly wanted to tackle you for some reason!" Hikari stuck her tongue out playfully.

"LIES!" Jun exclaimed, punching the air with his fists. "I'm gonna fine you for that, I swear to—"

"ACK!" A thud came from the tree that Hikari tackled Jun from. Murasaki had fallen out of the tree, covered in scratches everywhere. "Goddamn that fucking—" He cut off his sentence when he noticed Jun staring at him with wide eyes and Hikari shaking her head in defeat.

"…"

Hikari tapped Jun's shoulder nervously. "U-um, Jun. Please listen to me. I can explain."

Jun gazed at Hikari with a serious look on his face. "Hikari. What are you doing with the outsider?" He cocked a brow. "What's your excuse?"

She felt her stomach drop. She couldn't find an excuse to use without hurting Murasaki's feelings. "Jun, please understand. I… um…"

"You didn't tell me that you were…" Jun stood up, looking at Murasaki. "… friends with the outsider, that's so cool!" He cried out in excitement and ran over to Murasaki, who flinched back the moment Jun was right in front of him. "Dude, it's nice to meet ya! I didn't know Hikari was hanging out with you the whole time!" He grabbed Murasaki's hand and shook it vigorously. "Oh man, I can't believe I'm actually meeting you for reals!"

Hikari's jaw had dropped. What… just happened…?

That's what Murasaki wanted to know even more.

Jun suddenly clasped Murasaki's hand in his. He stared straight into the eye slights of Murasaki's mask. "Don't worry, I will never tell anyone about this, I swear to my pride!" The blond grinned widely. "I've always wanted to meet you and talk to you since I've heard about you, ya know? Like, oh man, this is so awesome!"

Murasaki sweatdropped. "Uh… huh…" He has never met anyone so excited and enthusiastic like this before. "Jun… was it?"

"Yeah, man! What's your name?"

"…" Murasaki fell silent. He knew who Jun was. He was the son of the person who had made him and his family outsiders of Twinleaf town. He just… wasn't sure if he could trust Jun.

But the blond already caught on. His enthusiastic mood suddenly sobered down. "Hey, I know what you're thinking about. But I'm not like my dad, and I know what he's done to you. I would like to apologize for him myself, but I don't think it'd be enough." He sat down in front of Murasaki, hoping to show his sincerity. "But I really wanna be your friend, if that's okay with you." He pointed towards Hikari with his thumb. "I mean, if someone like Hikari can trust you and be friends with you, then you're all right. You're a good guy."

"… Murasaki." Murasaki saw how excited Jun got when he told him his name. He then looked at Hikari and whispered to Jun, "I think she's more of a ditz than anything, really."

"HEY! I heard that!" Hikari shouted.

"Hah! Now we're talking! I seriously gotta tell you a funny story about her when we were little!" Jun laughed out loud. "So when we were little…"

Hikari screamed at Jun and tried to cover up his mouth. "No, stop, not in front of Mura-chan! It's too embarrassing!"

"She was trying to help Ayako-san—that's her mother, by the way—with the café…"

"JUN, COME ON." She growled and tackled Jun to the ground.

Murasaki smirked and chuckled. "You two are ridiculous."

It ended up as Jun sprawled on the ground, defeated. Hikari was sitting next to him, exhausted from the energy she used up to take Jun down. Murasaki, needless to say, had a lot of fun watching them fight. It was a new side to Hikari that he never saw before.

Hikari glanced at Murasaki and caught him smirking. She flushed red. "S-shut up, this is normal…"

"How the hell are you a girl?!" Jun muffled into the grass. "I'm gonna fine you for this!"

"Jun, you always say that," Hikari flatly muttered. Her eyes darted to Murasaki. "Sorry, Mura-chan. He's just being stupid."

"No, no, please keep going," Murasaki snorted, "This is entertainment enough for me."

"You two are so—!" Hikari let out another disgruntled groan. "Boys."

Both Murasaki and Jun couldn't help but smirk at the comment.

~.~.~

In the end, Murasaki gave in to Jun's personality and befriended him. The blond really wasn't as bad as he had thought. The only downside was that he was obnoxiously loud. Murasaki almost felt like he'd get a headache after listening to him for so long. But Jun was a good guy. Murasaki was still a boy of little words, so his replies to Jun were either one-worded or short phrases. It didn't seem like Jun minded though.

Meanwhile, Hikari was out in the flowers again. It was hot but she didn't mind it as much. She was constantly checking up on Murasaki and Jun to make sure they were getting along. She smiled whenever she saw Murasaki smirking occasionally at Jun's words. She thought it was a nice scene to see them as friends.

"And what happened was that she accidentally spilled a huge jug of lemonade on me!" Jun exclaimed, laughing at the memory. "It's funny how that was our first meeting. My dad wanted to introduce me to her because he was good friends with Hikari's dad."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, man. I remember when she actually picked a fight with me after that happened. She blamed me for getting in the way!" Jun nervously smiled as he scratched his cheek. "Geez, she was really fierce when she was little. She was worse than what you saw earlier today. Funny, right?"

"You're telling me she could've done worse?"

Jun nodded in a matter-of-factly manner. "Oh yeah, _so_ much worse. If you met her back then, you'd probably be scared of her when she got angry." He shook his head. "You know what, just… never get on her bad side. Ever. I've seen it many times, and it still gives me the chills." He shivered at the imagery of Hikari getting angry. "Yeah, just don't."

Murasaki snorted as he glanced at Hikari. "Can't guarantee anything for you, Jun."

"By the way," Jun started, "how come you're wearing a mask?" He observed Murasaki's mask, taking note of the details and brushwork of it. "Huh, that's a nice mask you got there. Is it made of clay?"

"Yeah." Murasaki stared at the clear, blue sky. "I wear it for certain reasons."

Jun cocked a brow. "Like what? If your main reason is because you don't others to see your face… I mean, it's only Hikari and me anyways." He shrugged and pointed at Murasaki's mask. "It's not we'll mind."

"I've thought about it." He ever so slightly lifted his mask with his thumb. "But I don't feel comfortable letting you guys see my face just yet. Sorry."

"Bah, don't worry about it!" Jun brushed it off. "You can always show us whenever you're ready. We're all friends here."

The edge of Murasaki's lips turned up a little at the word 'friends'. "Thanks."

Jun noticed the scattered stems of the white carnations. "Did Hikari pick these?" He picked up a carnation, which was looking a little wilted.

"She said she's planning on making bookmarks with them." Murasaki also picked up a carnation, twisting it between his fingers. He then focused his attention to Hikari, who was sitting still among the flowers. Her hair was gently flowing with the breeze. She pushed her bangs a little to fan her forehead, which was slightly lined with sweat. Her fingers combed through her blue locks and gently brushed them behind her ear. He stared at her for a couple of moments before returning his gaze back to the flower. "I think there's something she can use with these."

"Heh, what's your plan, Mister Fox Mask?"

Murasaki smirked at Jun's nickname and held it up in front of him. "Something like hairpins."

"Ew, girly stuff?" Jun complained. "You do it, not me."

"Pfft, pansy," Murasaki joked. He stood up and picked two fresh white carnations and walked towards Hikari. "Hey."

Hikari matched his gaze and smiled. "Mura-chan, what's up?"

"I told you not to call me that. You know I hate it."

The blunette simple giggled. "So? You never seriously told me to stop it." She gave him a teasing look. "Admit it, you like the name."

"Please," he snorted. He sat in front of Hikari. "Hold still, I'm going to brush your hair for a bit." Hikari blinked in surprise, but she obliged. Murasaki brushed back her side bangs a little, not past her ear, and stuck the stem of the white carnation behind her ear. He did the same with the other side of her hair. "There we go."

"Aw, did you pick these just so that you can put them in my hair?" Hikari asked. "How do I look?"

"Better."

"Nnnn… There you go again with teasing my hair." Hikari pouted.

Murasaki flicked her forehead. "You know I'm joking."

Hikari smiled sweetly and giggled. "Yeah, I know. You always do. Thank you." She felt the soft petals of the flower. "Maybe I should pin my side bangs like this more often."

"Maybe. I think it'd look nice."

"You think so?"

"Why not?" Murasaki shrugged. "It's worth a try."

Hikari laughed in agreement. She looked towards Jun's direction and rolled her eyes. "Oh, Jun." The blond had fallen asleep beneath the tree while Murasaki and Hikari were talking. They silently chuckled at the scene. "I guess these are our little secret?" she asked, pointing to the carnations in her hair.

"Our little secret." Murasaki fell silent. He gazed at Hikari for a while before his expression slightly changed. "More than that, though, there are three bees hanging around your hair."

"OH MY GOD!" Hikari screamed in fear and ran away from the spot, holding her hair back as she darted around.

"Pfft…" It was a joke.

x.o.x.o.x

_White carnations mean "sweet and lovely" and "innocence"_

x.o.x.o.x

_A/N: I just thought, why not add Jun in? He'll make another great friend for Murasaki. Murasaki and Hikari can't keep hanging out forever without at least one of her friends finding out eventually. I don't know. I think Alice and I are too attached to this trio, it's almost unhealthy. Probably._

_Anyways! Leave a review and let us know if you liked it! Thank you for reading! Have a nice day/night!_


	4. Cyclamen

_A/N: (A) I've noticed that this fanfics has been getting some follows from new readers. If you want to know the human characters are, please feel free to visit our profile and look for the names. We do have their English counterparts written down._

**The Secrets of Lavender  
><strong>**CH 4: Cyclamen**

_13. 15._

Murasaki hated the winter. It was cold, everything froze, and animals went into hibernation. It was a time of survival of the fittest. The animals that were able to survive the cold were already hunting for prey or scrounging around town for food. Snow had begun to fall overnight, and it stuck this time. The snow piled up 1 inch deep. It wasn't that bad.

"Haa…" He breathed out a visible puff of air. He pulled his forest green scarf up closer to cover up his exposed neck. The scarf was slightly tattered with holes and unraveled yarn on the edges. Clearly, it was an old and worn-out scarf. But it still kept his neck warm over the years. He wore a black coat over his beige corduroy pants. His black and grey boots were covered in mud and wet snow from treading around the house to prepare it for the winter. It was a little, old cottage, but it's held up well over the years.

His home was built by a lake. The cottage was made of stone and sturdy wood with three windows: one by the kitchen, one by the bedroom, and one by the front door. There was a chimney built into it too. A large oak tree loomed over the cottage with its snow-covered branches. Small icicles formed from the snow that melted into water during the night. As for the lake, it was slowly starting to freeze over starting from the edges. The middle of the lake wasn't frozen yet because of the depth.

"Reiji." Murasaki called as he touched the oak tree. "It's been 6 years." His lips parted as if to say something more but pursed them. He let out a heavy sigh, a visible cloud of his breath disappearing into the sky. He lightly tapped the bark with the knuckle of his finger before shoving his hand into his coat pocket. "I'll see you later." He took out his fox mask from his pocket and slid it onto his face. He paused to look down before he walked away from his home and down to Twinleaf Town.

~.~.~

"Mura-chan!" Hikari called out to him. She waved him over from the edge of the field. She was wearing a light blue coat with white fur on the hood, a white scarf, navy leggings, and black boots. She was wearing a golden hairclip on each side of her bangs. Her hair had now grown past her waist and still maintained its softness and shine.

"I told you not to call me that. You know I hate it." Murasaki cocked a brow at her as he approached her.

Hikari stuck out her tongue playfully. "Nah, you know you love it."

The edge of Murasaki's lips pulled back, looking annoyed. "Are you sure your mother's okay with me going into her café?"

"Of course! She said it herself!" Hikari grinned and held up a peace sign. "By the way, why is your voice different? It sounds lower."

"I don't know, puberty? Our voices get lower as we age." He smirked at Hikari's acknowledging shrug. "Still wearing those clips, I see," Murasaki commented.

"Ah, yeah!" Her fingertips touched the golden clips as she brushed her fingers through the bangs. Hikari had been wearing them since last summer when Murasaki told her that she looked nice with her bangs pinned back a little. "I'm glad I didn't throw these away back then."

Murasaki tilted his head. "Back then?"

"Well…" Hikari scratched the back of her head nervously. "Let's just say I was bullied for wearing these, because they said that it looked like light bulbs in my hair." She shrugged as she smiled. "But that was when I was really little. I shoved them into a little box deep into my closet after that. But hey, they fit me now!"

"I don't know, do they really?"

"Ugh, there you go again with your jokes," she scoffed. "Geez, you're 15 years old now. Grow up already." The two walked past some light violet cyclamens that were poking out from the snow. "I'm glad mama said you can visit our house. She's excited to finally talk to you."

"Is she now?" Murasaki remembered when Ayako had looked for him the night she found out Hikari was meeting him. It felt so strange to know that she was willing to open up to him. He's met her a few times during the year for holiday greetings, but he dropped by to say hello once in a while. He has run into other townsfolk whilst waiting for Hikari, but there were lots of unexpected things that has happened during those encounters. When he thought he would be looked upon with cold eyes, the townsfolk that saw him gave him a smile before entering the café.

But perhaps that was because he hasn't visited the town in such a long time. The only times he did was before the break of dawn or after dusk, and he made sure to be discreet about it. He never made contact with other people except for those he shopped from and such. They weren't bad people, but he would occasionally get the uncomfortable look from some. He figured it was probably because of his fox mask. He knew it stood out, but he dealt with it anyways. He always made sure to be polite and thank them for their kindness.

The café was different. Everyone was kind to him. They didn't seem to mind that he was the outsider many people used to be afraid of back then. It was a huge change that he didn't know what to do. The first time was when an elderly couple noticed him and smiled without any hostility, he was confused. What was he supposed to do? He gave them an awkward bow in return. The elders chuckled in amusement, of course. He was adorable to them.

Hikari waved her hands in front of Murasaki's face. "Mu~ra-chan!" she called.

"Hm?" Murasaki snapped out of his thoughts. "What?"

"We're here, silly!" She jerked her head to the door to notify that they were in front of the café. "You've been so quiet the whole time that I thought you somehow slipped out of my grip! Come on!" She twisted the knob and cracked the door open to poke her head in. "Mama, we're here! Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know you had visitors!"

Ayako looked up from the counter. "Ah, Hikari, welcome back. Did you bring him with you?"

Hikari nodded excitedly. "Yup! Oh, Kurotsugu-san, are you here for your usual coffee?"

Murasaki suddenly froze and tensed up immensely. He felt a lump in his throat the moment he recognized the name Hikari just called. He suddenly jerked his hand out of Hikari's grip and backed away a step. "I'm not going in there," he spoke firmly. "I'm _not_ going in there."

"But Mura-chan, you promised!" Hikari whispered back. She then noticed how tense he looked and faced him. Her hand pulled the door to close it. "Mura-chan, is there something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he snapped. "I'm going back." He turned on his heel and was about to walk away. "I'm not dealing with this right now."

"Come now, you can't go back now that you're here!" The door swung open with Kurotsugu standing there. He was leaning against the doorframe with his arm, gazing at Murasaki. "There are things I would to speak to you about, also, boy." His eyes softened at the sight of Murasaki. "Will you please give this old man a chance?" He approached Murasaki and gently placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Please?"

Hikari, not knowing what was going on, glanced at Murasaki. He was biting his lower lip as if contemplating something. She took hold of his hand and gave it a little squeeze to reassure him. "It'll be okay. No need to worry." She couldn't see if Murasaki was staring back at her but she shot him a reassuring smile. "Trust me." She felt his hand relax along with his whole body.

Murasaki turned around to face Kurotsugu and bowed his head. "If you don't mind me coming in, then."

"Not at all, boy. Come in, come in." Kurotsugu led Murasaki inside. "Ayako-san even prepared some chocolat chaud for you so you can warm up."

The blunette watched the two enter the café. She couldn't help but feel like there was a storm brewing about in his heart. She entered the café and made her way to the counter, where two mugs were waiting for them. She took a mug and took a sip of her mother's homemade chocolat chaud. It was rich and creamy with an aftertaste of spearmint.

Ayako gestured to Hikari to come over and whispered, "Hikari, Jun's upstairs in the living room. Do you think you can go talk to him for a bit?" She glanced at Kurotsugu and Murasaki. "It's just that we three have something to discuss…"

"What do you have to talk about?" Hikari asked.

"It's something that's personal to Murasaki-kun."

"But I'm his friend, mama," Hikari defended. She turned to Murasaki. "Mura-chan, can't I join in on the conversation?"

Murasaki stared at her for a few seconds before shaking his head. "No. Perhaps another time."

Hikari bit the inside of her cheek in disappointment. "O-oh, I see. Sorry to ask! You three let us know when you're done talking!" She mouthed to Murasaki 'good luck' before going upstairs to greet Jun.

Kurotsugu watched her run upstairs before sitting down on a chair by the counter. "Hikari is a kind girl, isn't she? She knows when not to keep asking about things." He gestured to Murasaki to sit next to him. "Although it's okay to be selfish once in a while."

"I appreciate her thoughts however," Murasaki commented. He curled his hands around the mug, feeling the warmth seep into his chilled fingers. Silence filled the atmosphere between the three before Murasaki spoke up. "So, what did you want to talk about, Kurotsugu-san?"

"Ah, yes. I wanted to talk to you about… the past." Kurotsugu paused to let Murasaki process his words. "Is it okay if I can bring it up?" Murasaki didn't say a word, so Kurotsugu continued. "I want to apologize to you. Not only did I take away your parents at such a young age, I made your brother's and your life miserable. I should've known what happened 6 years ago, when you showed up in town alone all of a sudden. My anger made me turn my back on you when you had absolutely nothing to do with it. The loss of my wife had clouded my judgement at the time."

"You don't have anything to do with that incident. I don't even remember anything from the past since I was only 2." Murasaki didn't take his eyes off the mug of chocolat chaud. He stared into his reflection on the liquid, remembering the hard times his brother and he went through. They were memories he didn't want to look back on, yet they flooded into his head all at once.

"But I could've been able to stop the punishment." Kurotsugu set his mug down, his fingers tapping on the counter. "I was the mayor of all things. I most likely could've nullified the decision to turn you and your brother into outsiders yet I didn't. I still think about this sometimes, Murasaki-kun. I still think about what I could've done instead if I hadn't lost my temper." He sighed heavily. "Your brother didn't even know what he was doing, yet he was blamed along with your parents. Not to mention, you were also dragged into this with no reason."

Murasaki gripped the mug tighter. "Yes, I know."

Kurotsugu got up from the chair and bowed to Murasaki. "That is why, I would like to offer my humblest apologies for everything Twinleaf and I have done to you, your brother, and your family."

"Kurotsugu-san…!" Murasaki called exasperatedly. "Please stop, I already understand that it's not your fault. I don't care about it anymore!"

Ayako watched the two helplessly. She had her arms crossed and looked away. It wasn't easy to pretend she wasn't there when her heart ached so much from hearing the pain in their voices. Oh how she wished she could do something about it.

"Alright… I get it." Murasaki sunk into his seat. "Thank you for the apology but I will not be accepting it." He looked down and lifted up his mask as his hand covered his eyes. "The apology shouldn't be for me anyways," he said in broken whispers. He gritted his teeth, trying so hard not to cry out. "Kh…" was the only sound that escaped his lips.

x.o.x.o.x

"Mura-chan's taking a while down there…" Hikari murmured. "I wonder what they're talking about…" Jun and Hikari were sitting in a kotatsu, a table covered in a heavy blanket with the tabletop on top of the blanket. Underneath the table was an electronic heater to warm the area around it and the legs that slipped inside the blanket.

Jun grinned as he leaned forward. "They're probably talking about adult stuff like the future and whatnot." He propped his elbow on the table and placed his chin in his hand. "My dad's been trying to get me to talk with him about my future and career too. Something about taking over the family business or whatever." The blond rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I'm too young to be dealing with that just yet."

Hikari giggled. "Why not? You make such great stuff! You'd be a great head of the ceramics business."

"You don't understand!" he groaned. "I make the stuff! I'm not a businessman! I'm not interested in all those finances and trade. I just wanna make ceramics, you get me?"

"Says the guy who's actually good at math and helps his dad with the money."

"Hey, hey, hey, that's exactly the reason why I don't want to do it." Jun headdesked and groaned again. "I'm only 14. Let me have some fun while I'm still young."

"You have no idea how much you sound like a middle-aged man wanting to be young again."

"Rude."

Hikari grinned mischievously and sipped the rest of her chocolat chaud. She then heard the familiar sound of footsteps that belonged to Murasaki. "Ah, Mura-chan, are you done talking with mama and Kurotsugu-san?"

"Yeah." Murasaki sat inside the kotatsu as he placed his mug on the tabletop. "I know you're curious, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask me just yet."

"Aw, why?" Jun complained. "You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat!"

"Pfft, probably because it had such a small brain that curiosity took over it." Murasaki smirked at Jun. The two had gotten along so well since they met that they were practically like best friends, which Murasaki refused to admit to. But both Jun and Hikari knew that he felt the same sentiments as they did. There were times when the two met without Hikari just to talk or go set up traps in the forest for fun. But those were rare cases when Hikari couldn't make it. Most of time, the three met together.

"GOD, BOTH OF YOU ARE BEING SO RUDE TODAY!" Jun exclaimed. "I should fine you two for that! I ain't gonna have that!" Then he started ranting about what his father has been trying to make him do recently related to the family business. Murasaki listened in amusement, adding in a comment here and there.

As for Hikari, she was more concerned for Murasaki. The tone in his voice sounded so exhausted like he was screaming for a while. She noticed that Murasaki didn't drink any of his chocolat chaud yet. Hikari pursed her lips, remembering that he didn't like sweet things. She thought it was worth a try to interrupt Jun's story for a moment. "Mura-chan, do you want some tea instead? I just remembered that you don't like sweet stuff."

Murasaki shrugged. "It's fine. Your mother made this for us, anyways. Might as well drink it." He put his lips to the rim of the cup. "Hm, spearmint. It's a nice combination." He took a drink and set the mug down. "What were you saying again, Jun?"

"Oh yeah, so as I was saying, dad was trying to…"

Jun continued to rant about the family business and his position on being the head of it. Hikari mulled on the possible conversation Murasaki could've had, but decided to brush the situation off for now. She diverted her focus onto Jun's little rant.

After a couple of hours talking and playing some board games, they eventually fell asleep inside the kotatsu. Even Murasaki gave in to the warmth that caused him to become so relaxed that he felt sleepy. Ayako went upstairs wondering why they were being so quiet. Seeing the three of them sleep so peacefully in the kotatsu, she quietly giggled at the sight. She tucked some pillow underneath their heads before collecting their empty cups. Two of them were anyways. She saw that Murasaki's had some left.

_After that, I don't think he'd be in the mood to drink or eat anything…_ she thought to herself.

~.~.~

Murasaki stirred in his sleep. His muscles began to twitch frequently like they were trying to move. There was sweat beginning to drip down his face, but this wasn't the result of the heater.

_What was mom and dad like?_

… _kind and caring…_

_Remember…_

_It's not easy but…_

_Love you too, little bro._

"Reiji!" he gasped. Murasaki's eyes snapped open as his body lurched to the side. He broke out in cold sweat, panting heavily. "Dream… It's just a dream…" He sat up slowly from the ground. He felt so disoriented that he almost forgot where he was. It was Hikari's house, where he had went over to hang out with Hikari and Jun. After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he looked out the window. "Shit." The sky was beginning to grow dark, and the snow started falling again. He quietly slipped out of the kotatsu and dashed downstairs.

Hikari slowly opened her eyes, filled with concern about Murasaki's condition just then. She sat up and shook Jun, who was also awake to hear what Murasaki had muttered under his breath. The two exchanged looks and peeked downstairs. They saw Murasaki asking Ayako something in whispers before they both walked out of view. Jun and Hikari looked at each other again and sneaked down a few stairs to see that the flower shop door was open.

"What do you think Murasaki needs from the flower shop?" Jun whispered.

"I don't know, but I get the feeling it had to do with who he was dreaming about…" Hikari whispered back. When Ayako and Murasaki came back out from the flower shop, the two stumbled upstairs in a panic. "That was close…"

"Too close."

Ayako and Murasaki exchanged a few more words before he hurried outside with a LED-lights lantern in his hand.

"Hikari. Jun."

Waves of shock passed through the two like electricity. They were found out. But they recovered when they saw Hikari's mother holding a dark crimson rose in each of her hands.

She gave them a look of worry. "Follow him. You'll understand. Take this with you too."

Hikari and Jun nodded and did so without another word. They grabbed their coats—Jun had a dark green cloak to wear—and scarves and tailed Murasaki. They kept following the tiny orb of light in the distance that also revealed Murasaki's dark silhouette against the white snow.

Murasaki trudged through the snow, using the lantern he had to light the way through what was once the flower field. Now it was just a field of snow. Very few flowers that were able to survive the winter were poking through the snow like little daisies. He paused to catch his breath and holding the lantern up higher to get a better view of his surroundings. He was close. He was about to walk again when he noticed a patch of cyclamens growing by his feet. "… Hn." He walked around them and went on his way again.

The other two had caught up to him and hid behind a pine tree, watching him and making sure they didn't get caught. Once they saw him start walking, they started following him again. They had to use the forest to hide their tracks or he could've seen them a long time ago. Murasaki had keen senses, they knew.

They kept walking, past the flower fields, past more forestry, until they stopped near his cottage. This was the first time Hikari and Jun saw his home.

"So this is where he lives…" Hikari whispered to herself.

"He lives so far from town… It's no wonder he doesn't go down there often."

"Hey… Look…" Hikari pointed to Murasaki's figure in the light. There was something else that was shined on from the lantern. She couldn't quite make it out from so far away. But she watched his silhouette stand still before he crouched. She saw his figure tremble.

Murasaki was crying. His whole body trembled from all the overwhelming emotions that were pouring out. His mask was placed on the top of his forehead, but his eyes were covered by his hand.

"We have to help him." Jun was about to walk over to Murasaki himself, but Hikari stopped him. She shook her head to stop him. "But he's…!"

"Give him a moment." Hikari observed the rose in her hand. "The dark crimson rose means..." She finally understood. "Mourning." She gently brushed her fingers on the petals, the realization of what Murasaki was up to paining her.

"So that's it…" Jun sighed. His brows furrowed as he looked upon Murasaki's lonely figure. The two watched him for a few more minutes before walking up to him.

Murasaki was obviously not expecting their presence. He quickly slipped his mask back on. "What are you two doing here?" He looked at the roses in their hands. "Tch. Who is she, my mother?" He then fell silent for a few seconds. "Must be nice."

By the lantern was something that both Hikari and Jun knew all too well, as they also have experienced looking upon one on their own. It was a gravestone. Lying in front of it was a dark crimson rose just like theirs.

_Muramoto Reiji_

_Thanks for being my brother._

The words were clearly carved by Murasaki's own hands, as the lettering wasn't as neat and organized as the professionally-made ones.

Hikari and Jun both placed their roses next to Murasaki's and clasped their hands together to pray for his brother in the heavens above. After they were done, they looked to see Murasaki watching them with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Mura-chan…" Hikari ran up to him to embrace him. "I'm sorry…" She hugged him a little tighter when her emotions were starting to get to her too.

Jun approached Murasaki and wrapped his arm around him. "We're here for you, dude."

"We're your friends, Mura-chan. You don't have to hold back so much."

"I don't need your fucking pity." Murasaki hissed, but he didn't pull away from their embrace. "I don't…"

"It's okay, Mura-chan." Hikari rubbed his back lightly. "You're not alone anymore."

"Kh…!" Murasaki started to cry again. This time, he leaned into Hikari's shoulder, letting the mask slip off his face just this once. They weren't going to see it anyways. "… inji…"

"Hm?" Hikari couldn't quite catch what he had said.

"My real name… is Shinji…"

A tear escaped from Hikari as she buried her face into his hair. "Shinji… Thank you…"

x.o.x.o.x

_A cyclamen means "resignation and good-bye"._

~.~.~

_A/N: (A) So whose hearts have I killed today? Hold your hearts up for me! :D I'm kidding. But I thought this was a good age for Shinji to start with his… pubescent mood swings. And boy am I glad that I started out with the saddest thing there is! Inspiration? Big Hero 6. HAH. I will go cry in a ditch now._

_(J) We've been talking about that movie non-stop recently. It's a really great movie made by Disney-Marvel. If you haven't watched it yet, you should take the opportunity after finals and go watch it. Make sure you stay after the credits because there's an extras scene like all Marvel movies. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and cried your heart out. Thanks for reading!_

_(A) By the way, I've come across a certain… blog entry about several Pokemon authors, including James and me, and their "crazy" __**private**__ messages. This took place in 2012 so it was a long time ago, but the thing is that I didn't know about it until __**TODAY**__. This blogger had written a constructive criticism about my writing (which I did find helpful along the way) before but I left them a PM for my reasons of why James and I write like that. Now, I will admit that my writing needed some major improving back then. In fact, I want to punch myself from 2-3 years ago in the face! But that's not my point. What the blogger did was post other authors' __**private messages**__ and say how "crazy" these people were. I will say that some responses were rather childish though._

_But that's not what pissed me off. This person posted messages that were meant to be private, and they didn't notify __**ANY OF US**__ that they were going to be posted in a blog entry about "crazy" authors and why they don't have many readers. That is extremely rude and an invasion of privacy. You can't exploit private messages just so you can make fun of authors and show the entire goddamn world. Please, do not be that kind of asshole. The one thing that was close to setting me off was that they called James' and my interaction in our profile (back then) an "elaborate roleplay" with myself, in the comments. __**Excuse me?**__ Don't drag our private lives and how we interact with each other into your blog. You do not know anything about how we live our lives, so do not make assumptions whatsoever about how we interact._

_Moral of the story: __**DO NOT BE LIKE THIS PERSON. **__If the person who wrote that entry is reading this, please stop. Your constructive criticism is great, but do not expose our messages to you for your own personal and sickening gain. Just message us back with your own reasons instead of ridiculing us for fun. __**Teach us**__ by telling us how our reasoning is wrong. If there are some who seem like a lost cause, you know what, you did your best. Let them figure it out on their own. But what you did was very immature of you. I honestly hope that you've grown up to realize that what you're doing is horrible. I am also hoping that our writing has improved since the last time you reviewed. Thank you._


	5. Snow Rose

_A/N: Hello, James speaking. Thank you for your questions for the fanfic! They will be answered below._

**The Secrets of Lavender  
><strong>**CH 5: Snow Rose**

"_Nii-chan?"_

"_Hm?"_

"_Why are we outsiders…?"_

"_I guess you can say it's because we were made to be this way."_

"… _Nii-chan. I saw you in town. I'm not a toddler anymore." _

"…" _There was a pause. "Shinji, come inside. There's something I need to tell you… something I should've told you when you first asked me…"_

"_What is it?"_

_Another pause. "It's… about our parents and why we live here."_

_x.o.x.o.x_

_Our parents used to live in Veilstone City and established a famous apothecary there.__But they had to move out because it was recommended that mother goes somewhere else with cleaner air. That's when they moved to Twinleaf Town because of the pollution-less air. Not only that, father also wanted to study the different plants and flowers that grew in town. They grew plants that you would have to travel to other regions far away to acquire them. Of course, Twinleaf Town was a friendly place. They accepted them when they first moved in. Father managed to build another apothecary, which became really well-known amongst the townsfolk. Strangely enough, they were the only people who had purple hair in town. It was easy to spot them in a crowd._

_Both you and I were born in Twinleaf Town. I still remember the night when you were born. It was the time of winter transitioning into spring. I wouldn't say it was cold, but I wouldn't say it was warm either. There were some flowers like the snow roses that were already popping out of the patches of snow. I had to stay over at a neighbor's house while she was in labor. I was scared out of my mind because I didn't understand the concept of birth then. I thought you could've gotten hurt somehow. I couldn't sleep that night because of all my worries._

_Apparently, you were crying so much in mother's arms. The midwife had to take you away for a while to stabilize your condition. Father had to comfort mother in the meantime. I was still in the neighbor's house though. I found out that our neighbor's wife was pregnant as well. She reassured me every time I panicked that it was going to be alright._

_When it was time to see you, I walked into the house cautiously. I honestly didn't know how to approach a newborn baby. Unfortunately, the moment I entered the house, you were crying up a storm. I covered my ears because of how loud you were, haha. I became frightened of you at that moment. Think, a 6-year-old being so scared of a baby._

_I went inside to see mother and father whispering to you so that you can calm down. But you wouldn't stop. They tried to feed you, give you toys, and pop a pacifier into your mouth. But you continued to cry. I was hesitant to try holding you because I afraid I might drop you with all the squirming you were doing._

_But I mustered up my courage and tried to hold you in my arms. That's when the most surprising thing happened. Your crying slowly came to a stop. Next thing I know, you were sleeping soundly in my arms. Mother and father were so surprised that you were so comfortable and calm around me, when you never saw me yet. You snuggled up against my shoulder, and I was left speechless. I looked at mother and father for help. They simply told me to sit on the bed and pat your back a little._

_Needless to say, you seemed content when I did that._

_It was after that day when I started taking care of you most of the time. Mother and father had work, but it's not like they were so busy that they couldn't tend to you. It's because I wouldn't let them take care of you while I was still free. You wouldn't believe how much of my time I devoted to you. In fact, you helped me study better at school so that I can finish my homework faster. I felt like my world was complete with my little brother here. _

_Mother and father had no worries whatsoever with me around to take care of you. Meanwhile, their apothecary had practically every townsfolk coming in for their products. They were really well-known for making medicines and oils out of the herbs and flowers they collected in Twinleaf. They knew just what people needed and made sure that they received the appropriate amount of dosage and whatnot. Even people from cities ordered their medicines from far away towns and cities. _

_As for you and me, everyone was kind to us. They would always gather around me to talk or make you smile or laugh all the time. Some of the kids who were younger than me would come help me take care of you. Some kids wanted to hear how some herbs and flowers work and their meanings. You would always sit on my lap and watch me talk. It was cute._

_Everything was going so well…_

_But that was when our lives turned to hell after you turned two._

_[8 – 9.]_

_One summer day, Twinleaf Town was on fire. No one noticed at first because it was past midnight. But it was too late because the fire had already engulfed half the town. It was slowly starting to spread towards the fields, where the herbs and flowers were growing. Everyone, including our parents, tried to stop the fire as best as I can. I was evacuated with you in my arms towards the safer part of town. I didn't understand why this was happening either. There was no reason for the town to suddenly burst into flames._

_Then I noticed a familiar smell… a smell that I knew all too well. It was the scent of one of father's powders that he made with some herbs. I felt light-headed, and I swore my heart was about to burst out of my chest. I never felt fear as strong as that night. I was afraid that this might've been father's fault. He loved to experiment with different herbs and flowers, but he should've known when to stop because it was dangerous. Did things go too far without him knowing this time? Did something go awry that could've caused this?_

_I wasn't sure._

_But once the situation was taken care of and investigated, I was given three horrible news all at once. _

_Father and mother had died in the fire._

_It turns out that the cause of the fire really was father's concoction. There was even evidence that they were set up in various parts of the town and lit on fire on purpose. I couldn't believe it though. Father was such a kind person. He was never one to harm anyone, and I really mean it. I didn't understand why they would be lit on purpose. He didn't want to destroy Twinleaf at all. He loved the town and the people within so much. But I didn't even have the time to try explaining it to them._

_Because the last news was that we were then turned into the outsiders of Twinleaf Town._

_Everyone looked at us in fear, especially me. They knew that I had a vast knowledge of herbs and flowers just as much as father did. They were afraid I would do the same thing, even you. No one came to defend us and protest against this decision. I didn't even bother trying to do anything. I figured it might make things worse._

_Coward, I know. But it was to protect you. I couldn't have you getting caught in all that. That's why I took whatever I could salvage from our house. Most of it was burnt to ashes, but we got really lucky. The fire had yet to reach the basement. We didn't store much in there, but I knew there was a tent and father's hiking backpack that we could use as shelter and storage. I packed whatever clothes, food, and necessities we had leftover. I even took all the money that mother and father had saved up. They were stashed away in one of father's herb drawers. It was unbelievable how much money there was. After taking that, I walked out of town and past the fields with you in my arms. You were too young to comprehend what was going on. _

_You asked me,"Nii… Home…?"_

_It was… difficult. All I could do was nod and hold back the tears that were threatening to surface. My heart broke. I was wondering why it had to happen to you too. Why not me? Why couldn't it be just me? I probably could've left you with someone and went on my own. Perhaps I was just being selfish._

_God really must've been on our side. I didn't walk too far when I saw an old, abandoned cottage by the lake. Yeah, it's this exact cottage that we're living in right now. I'm sure my eyes were glimmering with hope. It was almost dusk so I had to hurry inside. It was really dusty, and it seemed like it could fall apart soon. Some of the wood was rotting, plants were growing into the floorboards, and windows were shattered. It wasn't much, but it had to do. I decided that I'll go into town later on and buy some things to renovate the cottage._

"… _How do they expect us to live as outsiders so suddenly…?" I asked myself. "This isn't fair…" But obviously complaining got me nowhere. I set up the tent outside and unpacked everything. I put a sleeping bag and an oil lamp inside. I sighed and lay you inside because you fell asleep. I left the oil lamp on while I was handling the storage for food and water. I was sure the lake could keep the water and milk cooled. I tried to do what I can before it got dark. Sadly, I couldn't get anything done in time. I gave up and leaned against that huge oak tree in front of the cottage._

_I must've fallen asleep because I remember your crying waking me up. You weren't calling for mother or father. You were calling for me._

"_Nii… Nii…!" you cried._

_I ran into the tent and held you in my arms until you stopped crying. Once you did, I realized that it was up to me… me and me alone… to take care of you. Mother and father weren't there to help when I wasn't around. I broke down. You lay there, confused about why I was crying. I was practically kneeling on the ground with my head in my arms. No one was around to help anymore. Just me and you. _

"_Why… Why couldn't it have been just me?" I sobbed._

"_There…!"_

_I looked up. You were trying to reach out with your hand._

"_There…!"_

_I was puzzled. I didn't know what you were trying to say._

_You then crawled in front of me and placed your hand on my head. _

"_There…!"_

_Suddenly, it clicked. A flashback of me patting your back saying, "There, there…" to you when you cried flooded my mind. You were trying to say, "There, there" to comfort me. I felt all the sadness and despair disappear. I couldn't help but grin at your attempt to do what I do. "Oh, Shinji…" I hugged you tightly. "I promise, I'll make sure you're happy. I won't let this hinder your growing up." You continued to pat my head repeating the word "there"._

_Ever since then, I made sure you were growing up well and healthy. I had to go into town some days to get materials to renovate the cottage. I didn't take you with me though. There were some townsfolk who took the incident to heart and would throw rocks at me whenever they saw me. I couldn't let you go through that. But there was never a day when you would complain about me leaving you alone. You managed to learn that I didn't want you coming to town with me. _

_The cottage wasn't finished until two years later. Of course, I made sure it was habitable after the seasons were getting closer to winter in the first year. But it all turned out well in the end. Look at how amazing our cottage is._

…

_What. Don't give me that look. You know it's great._

…

_I thought so._

_[10 – 11.]_

_I did try to do a little apothecary job on the side, but not many were willing to take medicine from me. Because, you know, the incident? I wasn't surprised, to be honest. But I was grateful for those few who trusted me enough to buy them from me._

_Unexpectedly, this was around the time when I had to tell you the truth about us... our parents... everything. Yeah... You wouldn't believe how shocked you looked after the whole thing. You wouldn't come out of your room until later at night. I was getting worried, but it turns out you were just thinking things over._

_[12 – 13.]_

_Eventually, I had to take on hunting because our expenses were starting to run low. I was only able to trap little animals like hares and squirrels since I was fairly new at it. But I somehow managed to get several of them in one day, and it got us enough money to survive the winter. I think a lot of people were shocked that a twelve-year-old was able to hunt using just a bow and arrow._

_Then one day, I met a man while I was hunting for a fox that escaped my trap. It seems like he was hunting foxes too. I ran into him when I thought I caught glimpse of a fox. I didn't expect anyone to be hunting at that time though. I panicked and pull my hood down. I was about to run for it but he grabbed me. _

"_Wait!" he called out to me._

_I froze on the spot. Did he see my hair? Did he see my face? Our purple hair was a dead giveaway that we were the outsiders of Twinleaf Town._

"_Wait, please." I heard him approach me. _

_Of course, my panicking made me scramble away behind a tree. Remembering the times when I was hit by rocks and being told to get out Twinleaf didn't make it any better. "Please don't kill me!" Then, I had an anxiety attack. My breath was becoming short and raspy. I felt my heartbeat race, and my hands were trembling uncontrollably. My mind just went blank, I couldn't think. _

"_Hold on, hold on, I won't do anything to you. I promise." The voice was ever so gentle and heartwarming. Just like a father. I heard him coming closer to where I was. I shut my eyes and hid my face into my knees. I felt hot tears flowing down my face from fear that he was lying. "There, there… It'll be alright. Try to breathe." He held my hand as he sat right in front of me. The man continued to do his best to calm me down from my anxiety attack, reassuring me that he wasn't going to hurt me. "There you go, you're doing well. How are you feeling, son?"_

"_B-better…" I stammered._

_The man gave me a sympathetic smile. He took off his backpack and started rummaging through it. He took out a thermos and poured some brown liquid in the cup. "Here, have some hot cocoa. You look like you need it." He handed me the cup and let me drink from it. I was a little hesitant but I ended up drink it anyways. There was a spearmint aftertaste when I took a sip._

"_This is…"_

"_Isn't it great? Your father used to make some for me every winter back then."_

_My head perked up at the mention of my father. "Y-you know my father…? Then… you know who I am?"_

"_Yes. You're Muramoto Reiji-kun, aren't you?" the man asked. I nodded. "I thought so! You grew into a fine young man, didn't you?" He proceeded to pat me on the head but I flinched before he could even try. "Ah, I'm sorry. You must not be used to this gesture yet." He shrugged and pulled back his hand. "I hope you can settle with the hot chocolate for now, Reiji-kun."_

"… _Thank you for the hot chocolate, sir." I gave him back the cup. "Please excuse me. I need to go back to my little brother." I stood up to leave but he stopped me again._

"_Ah! Your little brother! How is Shinji-kun doing?"_

"_He's doing fine. I apologize, but I must leave."_

"_Oh, before you go, take this with you." He took out a large package and placed them into my hands. "There should be at least three hares and two squirrels in there. Also, there's some loaves of bread along with fruits. Take it with you and share with Shinji-kun."_

_I didn't know what to do. My jaw was hanging open like a fool. "W-why are you doing so much for me? We just met…"_

_The man smiled sadly. "Because your father saved my life." He snuck a little pat on my head before he walked past me. "It was nice to meet you again after so long, Reiji-kun." He gave me the brightest of smiles. "Would you like me to walk you out of here? You seem to be rather deep in the forest if you ask me."_

_It hit me. I chased after the fox too deep into the forest that I didn't even mark my way in. I pinched the bridge of my nose in embarrassment of my stupidity. "Um… if… if it won't be much trouble."_

"_Not at all, son. C'mon, let's go." He extended his hand out to me with a reassuring smile. I lowered my head and followed behind him without taking his hand. I'm sure he understood I didn't know how to handle such gestures yet. Even though I made it out the forest, he followed me home to make sure I returned safely. "Huh, what a nice house you got here! Did you make this yourself?"_

"_Sort of. It was already abandoned. I just happened to renovate it."_

"_Amazing… You have quite the skill to make it look as cozy as it does now." I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at the compliment. "Anyways, I'm glad you're still healthy. Perhaps I can see you again, Reiji-kun."_

"_Maybe." Another pat on the head._

"_Go in. Your little brother seems to be waiting for you."_

_I looked through the window to see you curled up near the fireplace, sleeping. I smiled. "Thank you for today, sir." I bowed and went inside to make us dinner. _

_~.~.~_

_Ever since that day, packages have been left on our doorstep every week. They always contained food that would last us for a few more days. We had our own food but the packages ended up adding to our meals like a feast. The man from that day was sending us food from his place. There was always loaves of bread and fruit inside along with whatever dishes he had made that week. As grateful as I was, this could've been dangerous for him. Interacting and helping us outsiders would've gotten him punished severely._

"_That man is a fool…" I muttered under my breath._

_You would be so excited to see what was in the package every week. Whenever we saw some snacks lying around in the box, you'd always want to have it for dessert. It made me feel calm watching you become so happy. _

_But I knew this couldn't go on forever._

_I wrote a letter to him and left it on the spot he would place the packages in. Tomorrow was the day he would give us another package._

_Sir, I'm forever grateful that you would help us out. But please stop doing this._

_We're outsiders. I don't want you to get hurt because of us._

_Please let this be the last gift._

_Thank you for all your help._

_Reiji_

_The next morning, a package arrived with a snow rose on top. There was a note placed underneath the strings. When I opened it, the letters were scribbled like he was in a hurry. But his emotions were clearly radiating from them._

_So? I can't let two kids go hungry._

_Don't worry about me, and worry about yourselves._

_Take care._

_He wasn't going to give up. I sighed in exasperation. "Why can't he… Oh forget it…" I gave up in the end. I continued to receive packages every week. It made my job to feed ourselves so much easier thanks to him. I was extremely grateful that I didn't know how to put it into words._

_That's when I had the idea to give something back. I grew lavenders in the backyard of our cottage because they were our parent's favorite plant. I plucked one from the backyard and placed it on the spot the night before he came with another package. When I opened the door the next morning, the lavender was replaced by the same familiar package with a note saying 'thank you'. This kept going on and on for two years now, with us exchanging notes and occasional drawings from you. Of course, I always left him two or three lavender stalks as thanks. He must've had hundreds by then._

_[14.]_

_But suddenly, the packages stopped coming. I thought it was because he was busy because he had his own business to run. But they never came. It stopped altogether. Food. Notes. Flowers. Nothing._

_I thought he might've gotten sick of us now. That's what I started to believe. But that wasn't it. He was dead. I found out that he was murdered by someone in town because they caught him helping us. Fearing that the man was siding with us, they killed him. _

_The news made me recall the moment when I heard father and mother was killed. I felt sick to my stomach. This happened because I trusted him. This happened because I let someone help us. This happened because I felt the love of a paternal figure once more. Why, why, why, why? Why did this have to happen? He didn't deserve to die. He didn't deserve to be killed. _

"_It should've been me…" I began to sob. "It should've been me!" I slammed my fist into the door in anguish. I couldn't let anyone into my life ever again. Because I refused to let this happen again._

"_Nii-san?" The eight-year-old you peeked out of the bedroom with a worried look on your face. "… I heard it too. He was… killed… they said." You became so mature and calm at such a young age. It almost hurt me to see you like that. You couldn't live your childhood the way other children did. You changed after that day when I told you the truth about our parents and why we're outsiders. _

"_Yeah." I wiped my tears away with my sleeve. "He was," I murmured bitterly. "It's my fault."_

_You grabbed my hand tightly. "Nii-san, stop blaming yourself all the time! He helped because he wanted to, didn't he?! It's not your fault! Nothing right now is your fault! Get it through that thick hair of yours before it gets to your head!" I don't think I ever saw you so angry at me. But I probably deserved it. You must've hurt also when you saw me in pain, huh?_

"_I'm… sorry…" _

"_It's okay…" you whispered. "It'll be okay." You sighed and pulled out a clean, white envelope with the words 'Muramoto'. "Let's go drop these off at his grave. I'm sure his family will read this anyways." I nodded. "Nii-san, can you prepare the bouquet for us?" _

"_Yeah. Give me a minute. I know which ones we need." _

_It was sunset when we arrived to the man's grave. My face contorted in pain at the words written on his gravestone._

_Aikawa Katsumi_

_Here lies a husband, a father, a friend_

_With a kind and warm heart_

_That held everyone inside._

_So he was a father… I took a child's father away from them. How much worse could this get?_

_I lay the bouquet of dark crimson roses and purple hyacinths by his grave while you placed the letter in front of the bouquet. We both put our hands together and prayed for the man's safe trip to heaven. _

"_Katsumi-san… Thank you for everything." We left. _

_Surprisingly enough, when I returned to the grave, the letter was gone. So was the bouquet. I would've thought their family had thrown it away if not for the white tulip on top of a small folded piece of paper that was lying alone in front of the gravestone. I picked the white tulip up and opened the note. The two words inside was what made me break down again, holding the white tulip close to my chest._

"_Thank you" was written inside the note. I knew what the white tulip meant. It meant that I was forgiven. You and I were forgiven._

_When I returned home, you were waiting for me. You looked at me with such a serious expression that I almost thought you were a stranger. "What's wrong, Shinji? Something bothering you?"_

"_Nii-san," you started. "Please teach me how to hunt."_

_My eyes widened in surprise. I certainly didn't expect you to say that at your age._

"_I won't let you do things on your own anymore." You looked at me with so much determination in your eyes. "You're not alone."_

_I realized something at that moment. You had never cried since the day I first held you in my arms. _

_x.o.x.o.x_

_[15.]_

_Ah… Why did this have to happen…?_

"_Nii-san!"_

_Shinji…_

_I'm sorry…_

"_Nii-san, stay with me!"_

_Even though I promised you that I'll never leave you alone._

"_Nii-san, open your eyes! Come on!"_

_It was winter again. I was trying to hunt deer to sell in Twinleaf for some money. I wanted to get you just one more present in time for Christmas but… it seems like I won't make it. When I thought the doe was alone, I tried to shoot it with my arrow. But I didn't realize that the buck was nearby. It rammed its antler into my body, piercing through my flesh. It shook me off and ran off with the doe. _

_My vision was nearly turning white, and the pain from my abdomen was searing hot. At this point, I couldn't feel anything anymore. My senses were turning dull. They were slowly shutting off one by one._

"_Nii-san!" _

_Your cries started getting faint. Even the feeling of your trembling body against my head was beginning to feel like clouds._

"_Shi... n… ji… I'm… sorry…" My voice was shaking. _

"_Just… just stop talking. I'm applying pressure to your wounds right now. Just keep your eyes on me. You'll be fine, nii-san. Don't worry."_

_Don't cry, you silly. I'll still be here. _

_I knew I was a goner already. There was no way I was going to survive this. I just had to say one more thing before I had to go._

_Mustering all the strength I had left, I touched your cheek and smiled. This was when I felt the most peaceful in my entire life. I felt horrible that I was leaving you alone, but you came so far. I knew you would be able to carry yourself well after everything I've taught you. I wonder how happy I looked._

"_I'm glad I was your older brother," I whispered without pausing. "Thank you for everything." I lost all feeling in my arm. It fell limp beside me. The last thing I saw was you crying for the first time in years. The last thing I heard from you before I was finally gone was…_

"_Don't leave me…"_

_Is that why you never cried? Because I was with you all the time? Ah, you're such a little kid. _

_I love you, Shinji. Because you're my little brother, my little ray of hope._

~.~.~

"That's my story," I finished with a matter-of-factly tone. I leaned against the large oak tree behind my gravestone. I looked at the words carved into the stone, my heart warming at his message.

"You had it hard, didn't you, son?"

I shrugged at Katsumi's reply. "I guess. But it must've been worse for Shinji… living alone for 6 years…" I gazed into our cottage window with a longing feeling. "Loneliness is the worst thing that can ever happen to someone."

Mother placed her hand gently on my shoulder. "You've done well to raise him, Reiji. I'm so proud of you."

Father chuckled as he also peered into the window. "I'm happy he has finally found friends who will accept him for who he is." He turned around to face Katsumi. "So, Katsumi, what's your story?"

Katsumi blinked. "Mine? Are you sure you want to hear my boring, old story?" He laughed wholeheartedly. "Oh please, as if you'd be interested."

"Well, we're all here anyways. Why don't have a bit of story time since Reiji-kun already started?" a blonde woman suggested. "Might as well, Katsumi-san!"

"Ehh… You're serious?" The blue-haired man rubbed his chin in thought. "I wonder where I can start then…" He stared into the window and smiled blissfully at the sight before him. "Ah yes… I suppose I can start here…"

Inside the cottage… Shinji, Hikari, and Jun were all huddled together in a blanket, sleeping together so peacefully as if nothing could disturb them.

x.o.x.o.x

_A snow rose means "tranquilize (calm) my anxiety"_

~.~.~

_A/N: Alright, this was a little longer than usual, but it should do. I ended up typing this with Alice while she was crying. Ah, I forgot to mention, Alice and I do have a beta reader profile. If anyone is interested in having us as your beta readers, please feel free to send us a PM. Next are the questions that have been sent in through reviews and PMs._

_Isn't Jun/Barry obsessed with Shinji/Paul in the anime?  
>(J): Probably. He holds Shinji with great respect as a trainer, in my opinion. Also, I'm certain I've seen him fanboy at least once.<br>_

_How did you come up with Murasaki?  
>(A): Oh! That would be for me! "Murasaki" is actually a pun I used for his hair because "murasaki" means "purple" in Japanese. But if you use the right kanji, you can turn it into a surname if you'd like. However, for this fanfic, I thought Murasaki would be better as a nickname and use a more normal sounding surname.<br>_

_When will Tobari Shinobi: Shinou Scandal be updated?  
>(J): I'm still in the process of writing it. But since I will be helping Alice finish the plotline for her doujinshi first, it might take a while! Please bear with it for a while.<br>_

_You wrote previously that Hikari/Dawn can see Shinji's/Paul's smile, but he has a mask on?  
>(A): Okies, so the mask he's wearing is actually supposed to cover from his forehead to his nose. Kinda like a masquerade mask, I guess? Just more Japanese styled. Um… You'll see what I mean once I upload my doujinshi pages!<br>_

_What is with Ayako's/Johanna's sudden change in character? __She yells at her daughter because she wants to protect her, but then goes outside and asks Mura-chan about his life as opposed to saying stay away from my daughter?  
>(A): Hmm, this answer to this question will be revealed either in the next chapter or the chapter after the next! :) But, if you read closely enough, the answer lies in this chapter. Let's see if you get it!<br>_

_How do you two write fanfics?  
>(J): Google docs. It has a feature that lets several people edit and write at once while talking about it in the chatbox. But since Alice and I are in the same room when writing, we don't need the chatbox. We then transfer the content into Microsoft Word and upload it onto FF. But that's only for The Secrets of Lavenders and one-shots. Our respective stories are written separately in Word and sent to each other for proofreading and revisions.<em>

_Please feel free to ask more questions. We will gladly answer them._


	6. Iris

_A/N: (A) Looking back on how many words I've written for each chapter… Wow. I actually might have to split each chapter by two when I draw this into a doujinshi. orz Goodbye world, I am gone—_

_(J) Please enjoy this chapter! We have a nice surprise waiting for you guys in the next few chapters._

**The Secrets of Lavender  
><strong>**CH 6: Iris**

"_Aaah-choo!" A loud sneeze interrupted the silence inside the cottage. "Ugh… I think I caught a cold…" Jun pulled the thick blankets closer to him as he shivered. _

"_Well, you did kick the covers off yourself overnight. You kept kicking it every time I tried to put the blankets back over you." Hikari set down a mug of hot chocolate beside him and wrapped a scarf around his neck. "You need to keep yourself warm, or your cold will get worse."_

_A whiny grunt sounded from his stuffed nose. "It was hot, okay…"_

"_Your fault!" Hikari patted Jun like a helpless puppy and stood back up. "Stay in here and drink your hot chocolate, Jun. Mura-chan and I'll be ready with brunch soon. Make sure you wash up before you come out!" She slipped out of the room and turned her head to Murasaki. "I'll be right over!" It was a small cottage. The kitchen was only a few feet away from the bedroom._

_The blond grumbled as he took his first sip from the mug. "Hot, hot, hot!"_

"_Be careful, it's hot!"_

"_Warn me earlier!"_

_Hikari giggled as she turned her attention back to the kitchen. "Hey, Mura-chan? Do you think it'd be okay if Jun and I can come over here more often?"_

_Murasaki was frying three eggs in a pan for all three of them. Hikari was placing hams on slices of bread. They shared a brief silence before Murasaki spoke up. "You don't have to keep calling me Murasaki, you know."_

"_But I'm not." Hikari grinned. "I'm calling you Mura-chan!"_

"… _You know what I mean." His eyes weren't visible, but there was a tone of embarrassment in his voice. "I told you my real name last night." He flipped the eggs with a spatula and waited for the other side of the eggs to fry. "It's not like you have to call me as… 'Mura-chan' anymore."_

"_I know that." Hikari paused to look at Murasaki. "I just think…" She pursed her lips in uncertainty. "I just don't think you seem completely comfortable with us calling you by your real name yet… Shinji." The blunette glanced at Murasaki, who shifted uncomfortably. "So I'm right."_

"_Do whatever you want." He made sure the eggs were fully cooked and placed them on top of the slices of ham. "Can you handle the rest? I'll just wash the pan."_

_Hikari nodded, placing another slice of bread on top of each sandwich and cutting them in two triangles. There were two sandwiches on one plate and one sandwich on the other. "Okay! Brunch is ready!" She looked over to the bedroom door, only to find Jun shivering near the lit fireplace. "Jun, when did you even get out of the room?"_

"_Your little married couple act was making it colder in the room, so I thought the fireplace would make it warmer."_

"_M-m-m-married couple?!" Hikari stammered. "J-Jun, you idiot! We are not!"_

"_Did your fever get to your head now?" Murasaki asked in protest. Their eyes met, and they jerked their heads away from each other. "I'll pour some orange juice for you." He grabbed two glass cups from a cabinet and walked towards the refrigerator._

"_O-okay." Hikari grabbed the two plates and brought them to the fireplace. She sat down on the floor and glared at the blond. "Jun, I'm going to kill you," she hissed through her teeth. _

_Jun sneezed into his sleeve. "Can't hurt a sick person, Hikari."_

_Hikari cracked her knuckles and smiled sadistically. "Are you sure about that?"_

"_Hey, hey, no fighting before a meal." Murasaki had two glasses of orange juice in his hands. He placed one in front of Hikari as he sat down with his in front of the fireplace with them. "Sorry I don't have enough plates. It was only my brother and me after all." He grabbed a sandwich and took a bite. "Eat up."_

"_Thank you for the food!" Hikari started eating the sandwich from Murasaki's plate while Jun had his own. The blond was sick after all. He couldn't risk his cold spreading to Murasaki and Hikari too. "Homemade cooking is always the most delicious!" she sang. It was a simple sandwich, and her mother made her an egg-and-ham sandwich before too. But it was true that homemade dishes were the best. _

_It was the day after Hikari and Jun stayed the night at Murasaki's cottage after discovering his brother's grave. The snowstorm had picked up before they were able to return home, so they decided to sleep over. Murasaki had told them his story of how his brother and he had spent their lives as outsiders. He decided to keep Katsumi anonymous to protect Hikari. He thought Ayako would one day tell her what happened to her father._

_And if that day ever came…_

_Murasaki was ready for whatever grudge or hatred Hikari would harbor against him. If Jun also came to hate him, he would accept it without a word. He didn't mind disappearing from their lives, even if it meant moving to a completely new town so that they would never have to see him again._

_For now, he wanted to enjoy these happy times with these two. But in the back of his head, he couldn't help but wonder when that day will come. Tomorrow? Next week? Months from now? Years? Never?_

"_Mura-chan?" Hikari's voice interrupted his train of thoughts. _

_He snapped back to reality and reassured her that it was nothing._

_Hikari was silent for a brief moment before resuming the discussion that was at hand. Murasaki tried to focus on their conversation, but he ended up staring at the windowsill behind them. On the windowsill was a vase of three bluish-purple irises, the flowers a dark contrast against the white blanket of snow that covered the ground outside. They sat in the vase perfectly as if interacting with each other and engaging in a conversation of their own with their perky petals. They were freshly cut and placed, so it was going to be a while before they'd begin to wilt._

_Oh how we wondered when the time of the irises would end. But he refused to think about it any further._

x.o.x.o.x

_14. 15. 16._

"…"

"Mura-chan? Can you hear me?"

Murasaki's eyes cracked open, his vision dark and blurry. His head was pounding like something was trying to break out of his head using fists. Not to mention his body felt heavy and overwhelmingly hot. His breathing was raspy and short. _I don't feel well…_ His mind slowly tried to make sense of this situation but he couldn't see anything. It was completely dark. His hand shot to his face on impulse to touch his mask. It was there, just slightly tipped off from his face.

"I didn't take your mask off. I just slipped it down a little bit."

"Hikari…?" She didn't see his face then.

"Hey, Mura-chan. Sorry if I woke you up."

His mind was cloudy with pain banging at his head. "Where am I?"

"You're in the guest room of my house." Hikari soaked a hand towel in a bowl of cool water and set it on Murasaki's forehead.

_That's right,_ he thought, _I was going to the café but then…_

Hikari leaned back against her chair. "You scared the hell out of Jun and me, you know. We found you unconscious in the snow. Were you overworking yourself again?"

Murasaki was walking to the café to meet up with Hikari and Jun. However, he didn't realize that he had a fever and assumed he was exhausted. To think he would faint… His vision began to spin and blur, and the next thing he knew, it was black for a second before he woke up inside a bedroom. But it's true that Murasaki had been doing a lot of work recently. He received more orders for herbal ointments, hunted for more game to sell, and traveled to a few towns to buy more herbs.

He groaned in reply. Suddenly, he remembered that he was carrying a basket of irises as a gift. "Wait, the irises—"

"It's okay, it's okay! We gathered them and put them in a vase in the flower shop. You didn't have to bring them, but thank you. We really love them!"

"Okay." Murasaki's head sunk into the pillow in relief.

"So you did overwork yourself, am I right?"

"Shut up, you're nosy…"

"Rude." Hikari poked his cheek. "So is there anything I can do? Jun said he'll help Mama cook something for you so he'll be up in a few."

Nothing came to mind. Her presence alone was enough to help him relax. "Oh my god," he muttered, his body tensing up. The cover his mask provided wasn't enough to shield the embarrassment from his thoughts.

"Alright, alright, I'll go after this." Hikari dabbed a cool, wet handkerchief at the beads of sweat forming on his neck. "You get some rest, Mura-chan. I'll wake you up when the food's ready." She hung the handkerchief over the rim of the bowl and stood up from her chair. "I'll come to check up on you in half an hour, okay?"

Murasaki's hand suddenly shot out from underneath the blanket and grabbed her wrist. Then, as if electrified, his hand released her wrist with a violent jerk.

Hikari, surprised, stopped in her tracks and turned around. "You alright?" Murasaki didn't give her an answer. "Is there something you need?" All she heard was a hum from the back of his throat. It couldn't be helped. Murasaki wasn't going to say anything anyways. _I wonder if he just wanted me to stay,_ she thought. She smiled at him like an older sister would a little brother and sat back in her seat. "Go back to sleep, you big baby."

Without another word, Murasaki relaxed and lay in the bed. His breathing eventually became calmer, signaling that he was fast asleep.

"You're obviously sick if you can't even make a comeback," Hikari spoke through soft laughter. She continued to dab Murasaki's face and neck while changing the towel on his forehead every so often.

Later, Jun knocked on the door of the guest room. He cracked it open when there was no reply. He was able to make out Hikari's figure slumped over in her chair. It seemed like she fell asleep while watching over Murasaki. He sighed. "Taking care of him, my ass. You're not even doing a proper job." The blond stepped inside and approached the sleeping blunette. She was dangerously close to fall over. "Alright, you, let's get you into the living room if you're gonna take a nap." He knelt down and proceeded to carry her out of the bedroom.

"Jun…?" Hikari's sleepy voice sounded from his arms. "Mura-chan wants me to stay…" She fell asleep again.

The teen was silent. He glanced at Murasaki, whose fingers were peeking out of the covers as if they wanted to hold something. Then he realized that Murasaki had been grabbing Hikari's sleeve in his sleep. "Did he now?" Jun asked under his breath. He shrugged his shoulders and laid Hikari back in her chair. "Can't be helped, I guess. I'm sure you're going to get sick after this, though." He grabbed a fleece blanket from inside her closet. At this point, they were friends long enough to grab things out of each other's closets. Jun gently covered the blanket over her torso.

Murasaki grunted as he woke up. "Is that you, Jun?"

"Morning, sleepyhead," Jun quietly responded in amusement. "The beef stew will be ready in an hour, so why don't you rest for a while longer?"

"Yeah. How long have I been in here?"

"Eh…" Jun thought for a second. "Maybe a day?"

"A da-?!" he almost screamed, shutting his mouth before he woke Hikari. "A day, are you serious?!" he harshly whispered.

Jun snickered. "I'm joking, bro. You've been in here for about five hours now. It's six in the evening. By the way, I doubt Ayako-san would let you go home in this condition, so you might as well stay here or at my house tonight." He took a glimpse at his watch. "Well, I have some work to do at home, so I gotta go back for now. I'll be back in an hour. I'd wake her up, but she looks like she's drained of energy. I wonder what's going on." The blond walked out of the room to get Murasaki his beef stew.

A disgruntled sigh escaped Murasaki's lips as he rested his head against the pillow again. "Five hours… At least I don't have any urgent orders…" He let out a heavy sigh one more time before he tried to go back to sleep again.

~.~.~

"_Shinji!"_

"_Nii-san?" Shinji turned around when he heard his older brother's voice. Reiji was a few feet away behind him. His warm smile was plastered on his face as he waved Shinji over to him. "Nii-san!" Shinji ran over to Reiji in a hurry. "What are you doing here?! Weren't you…"_

_It clicked._

"_Oh, it's just another nightmare. Of course." Nightmares were frequent for Shini. Reiji was dead after all. It took him many nightmares later to realize that they were all in his head._

"_But I think this would a lot different than a nightmare, don't you think?" His finger circled the air to point out the environment._

"_I…" Shinji paused and looked around. He was telling the truth. This was unlike his usual nightmares. The world around them was just white, not dark. No objects, no setting, no anything. It was just them. "Pfft." He crossed his arms and looked at Reiji cynically. "You're not going to turn into the buck that killed you and suddenly kill me, are you? Because that's a nightmare I've suffered already. I know what's coming."_

_Reiji's eyes drooped. "Shinji… Why did you never tell me you suffered from nightmares?" He approached his little brother, who turned his head away him. "I mean, I knew you were suffering even though you told my grave that you were fine but… Nightmares? How long?"_

"… _Years. Even now." Shinji's eyes softened. "You were the only family member I had left." His distrustful expression broke into shock when Reiji hugged him with all his might. "What are you doing?"_

"_You blame yourself, don't you? For… my death…" Reiji whispered. A tear escaped his eye. "Please, don't blame yourself what you couldn't help." He hugged Shinji with all the love that he had for him throughout his time as part of the living and the dead. "I'm glad you have friends you can spend time with. In fact, if I didn't die, you probably would've never met them. I'm so happy you have a happier life with Hikari and Jun. I'm sure you'll make more friends soon too."_

_Shinji lowered his head, and his hands were visibly shaking. This wasn't a nightmare. It was his older brother, Reiji, who had visited him in his dreams. "Fuck you!" he hissed. "You decide to visit me NOW after all these years? Fuck you! You're the worst older brother I've ever had." He continued to cuss out Reiji until he felt better. Until all the years of self-torture were put behind him._

_Reiji couldn't do anything but watch and listen as Shinji accepted the truth. It wasn't his little brother's fault that he died. It was his mistake to let his guard down while hunting._

"_Lastly, I fucking hate you." Shinji let out a huge sigh before sitting down in exasperation. Reiji sat down next to him in silence, the two of them not saying a word. "I'm probably not going to remember this when I wake up, am I?"_

"_Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?" Reiji shrugged. "You'll see."_

_After they've finally caught up, Reiji stood up and stretched. "It's time for me to go. More like, it's time for you to wake up, Shinji."_

"_Wait, but there's more I have to tell you about. You can't just leave now." Shinji was stopped by Reiji's hand on his shoulder. "Nii-san…"_

_The same smile adorned Reiji's face as he looked at his little brother with love and pride. "I know. I've always been watching you ever since then. I'm proud of you, Shinji. I'm glad you're my little brother. I wouldn't ask for anything more." He released Shinji's shoulder and placed his hands on his hips. "Well, gotta go. It was nice talking with you again, Shinji. Maybe we can do this again another time."_

"_Nii-san, hold on! Listen to me!" Shinji attempted to grab Reiji's wrist but his hands only passed through them like a ghost. Reiji was gradually disappearing, his figure turning transparent from the feet up. "You idiot of a brother!"_

_Reiji burst into laughter, a sound that made Shinji feel nostalgic. As Reiji disappeared, Shinji's vision also began to turn dark._

x.o.x.o.x

"Nii-san!" he exclaimed. His eyes shot open, and his breathing was coarse. He saw Reiji. It wasn't a nightmare this time. His brother's spirit visited him for the first time.

Murasaki sprung from the bed without realizing that his mask was slipped down to let Hikari put cold hand towels on his forehead. He panicked when his mask fell on the wooden floor with a soft clatter. "Shit!" he cursed under his breath. He hurriedly leapt off his bed to search for his mask, but doing so, his foot accidentally kicked it away a little farther from where he was. Not to mention, getting up so suddenly caused a dizzy spell to hinder his vision—his headache only made it worse—so he was kneeling on the floor in pain. "My mask…" He shook the spell off and tried crawling around. His hands desperately searched for the white fox mask he's always worn throughout his life. "Why am I such a fucking idiot?" he snarled.

"Mura-chan?" Hikari called from the door. She had already woken up long before he was awake.

He froze. _Of course, she would come in at a time like this,_ he thought.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She spotted his hunched figure in the dark and jerked the door open. "Hold on, Mura-chan, let's get you back into bed. Let me turn on the li—!"

No, anything but the lights! "W-wait," he stuttered. "Don't turn on the lights. My mask… fell off…"

"O-oh! Sorry! That would've been bad…" Hikari walked into the room to help him look for his mask. She knelt on all fours and carefully slid her hands around the area. "Do you know where it is? I can't see well because it's dark but…"

"Not really. I might've kicked it in your direction." He sighed as he paused to think. "It should be…" He started to look around to his left. "… around here."

"Here?" Hikari also started searching where Murasaki's voice was.

"Found it!" Both of them exclaimed as they placed their hand on the mask, Hikari's fingers overlapping Murasaki's. Even though it was dark, they felt like their eyes met each other's.

Murasaki was a lot nearer than she thought. She felt his ragged breath from the panic and his body heat from his fever. His fingers felt rough and slightly calloused from the work he does, and they were certainly bigger than hers. Also, since when did his voice get deeper? Why hasn't she never noticed until now?

To Murasaki, Hikari was much smaller than he expected. He must've had his growth spurt without knowing. Her slender fingers felt cool and soft against his knuckles. A few stray hair strands brushed against his cheek as her head slightly jerked away from surprise. Everything about her suddenly seemed so… different to him up close. She was just inches away from his face. He noticed her shining blue eyes staring right into his, and he wondered if she could see his too.

…

_Oh my god._

"Hikari! Wake Murasaki up! His stew's ready!" Jun called from the staircase. He grabbed the tray that held a small pot of beef stew, a bowl of rice, a glass of water, a pill bottle, and two of the Irises Murasaki had brought from home (for aesthetic). He started going up the stairs.

Both of them sucked in a sharp breath. Hikari retracted her fingers from Murasaki's as Murasaki swiftly snapped his mask into place.

"Ah, what do I do?!" Hikari squeaked, scrambling to get up on her chair. She managed to stand up but tripped over her own feet when she tried to step away from him.

Murasaki tucked his arm in the nook of Hikari's waist and pulled her towards him. Hikari was pressed against his chest. She never noticed how taller he's gotten until now, because he was practically a head taller than her up close.

"I… M-Mura-chan… You're…"

The door slammed open with Jun standing by the doorframe. Jun stared at the two as they made eye contact with him. He was silent, shock briefly flickering in his eyes before becoming deadpan. He cocked a brow when the two stumbled far away from each other. "Cut the romance and eat your stew!" He stomped over and sat down on the chair, setting the tray down on a side table. "You must be hungry, right? Get back into bed and eat, lovebird," Jun teased, grinning at the embarrassment displayed by the other two.

"I, uh… I, I'll be downstairs. I g-gotta take care of the f-flower shop! Yeah! That's what I gotta do!" Hikari dashed outside the guest room and went downstairs into the flower shop. Murasaki and Jun stared at the door in awkward silence.

"You'd think she'd be able to handle it better too." Jun chuckled.

"You're only a year older than her."

"At least I know I'm going through puberty," Jun replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "She's probably a late bloomer."

Murasaki remained silent. He slipped back into bed and started eating the beef stew prepared for him. "It's delicious."

Jun smirked proudly. "Why, thank you. It's my mom's special recipe!" When Murasaki didn't say anything, the blond clicked his tongue and sat down on the chair. "Hey, I'm pretty sure you know what happens when you hit puberty, right?"

"Who do you take me for?" He sipped some of the soup from the pot and sighed, lowering his head. "Of course, I know what happens." Murasaki lifted his head and looked into Jun's eyes through the slits of his mask. "I know how you feel towards her, Jun. I've seen the way you've been looking at her recently." He took another spoonful of rice and beef into his mouth and chewed while he let his words sink into Jun's mind. "I'm not going to get in the way between you two. I'd appreciate it if you didn't take what happened earlier personally."

"Don't give me that bullshit, you coward." Jun crossed his arms as he leaned back into the wooden chair. "You think I didn't notice either?"

"… What?"

"Oh, c'mon. You know what I'm talking about. Please tell me you're aware of your own feelings."

"Like hell I'll say anything."

"Ah! You're in denial!" Jun felt Murasaki's annoyed aura piercing through him, but that didn't stop him. "Denial!" he sang as he nudged Murasaki with his elbow.

"Will you quit it?"

"Denial!"

"You're lucky I'm sick, or else I could've shut you up for good."

"Pfft, as if." The blond slapped the other on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it! You'll figure it out soon. I mean, I'm sure you've had certain dreams, _if you catch my drift_."

"Oh god. I don't need to hear you preach about pubescence, Jun," Murasaki groaned. Although thinking about the statement, he broke into muffled snickering. "I can't believe you really said that." Even Jun started laughing at his own words. "You're clearly taking your pubescent mood swings too seriously."

"Shut up, man!"

Meanwhile, Hikari slid down the door connecting the café and the flower shop. Her face was a blushing mess, and she swore she felt steam coming out of her ears. "Oh my god," she breathed. Her legs and hands felt like jello while her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! You gave it away! Why are you so stupid?!" she complained to herself.

It seems puberty was just beginning for Hikari.

~.~.~

_An iris means "your friendship means so much to me"._

x.o.x.o.x

_A/N: (A) … Heh~_

_(J) My thoughts exactly. Now for the questions:_

_1. Are the people at the end of the chapter dead?_

_ (A) Yep. They are the people who have an important role later on in the story: Shinji's family, Jun's mother, and Hikari's father. Reiji already fulfilled his role, but he'll appear later on!_

_2. What are the numbers that are always at the beginning of your chapters? Like how there's "13. 15." in chapter 4._

_ (J) That's their age in the chapter. We're trying to portray how they grow up with each other before we get to the climax of the story. _

_We'll gladly take more questions, whether it's about this chapter or previous chapters! Thanks for reading!_


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